Hit List
by zestycrouton
Summary: AU. It all started as a typical day at Ordon High, until a sudden school shooting turns the life of Link Hero upside down. Now, surrounded by enemies, can Link save his friends and escape the school alive?
1. Friends, Enemies, and Dangerous Doors

**Ok, for starters, let me apologize. I had no intention to stop this story, but in reality, my computer just…died. The bad news is that I couldn't post. The good news is that I was able to re-write the iffy parts of my story.**

**Also, I'd like to thank Janus Kamaren, Slipkid, and MasterSword50 for writing those inspirational reviews. You rock, guys. (or girls, depending.)**

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**Chapter One**

**Friends, Enemies, and Dangerous Doors**

Link Hero lay slumped on his desk, his head resting on his arms as he gently tapped his feet to the music streaming through his carefully concealed headphones. His thoughts drifted around lazily in his head as he waited for the final bell to ring, signaling the end of the school day.

Link sighed and sat up, stretching his back, and decided that it was probably about time for class to be over. He spared a brief glance for the girl who was sitting on his right, her eyes fixated blankly on the dirty desk in front of her. Her name was Midna Twili, and had been one of Link's best friends ever since the 4th Grade when she'd saved him from a bully out on the Playground who had been using Link for tetherball practice. Midna was your classic punk rocker/gothic chick, black nails and all. She always wore dark Vans and baggy, torn pants that worked in unison with her oversized sweater to give her the appearance of a homeless vagabond; a look she had strived to perfect over the years. Something about going against the crowd, which didn't really make any sense seeing as half of the student body dressed in the same way.

Link gazed up at the clock as he tugged the headphone out of his ear. 2:47, only three minutes left til the end of class. He slumped back in his chair and let his eyes settle on the vacant desk just in front of him. The seat usually belonged to another good friend of his, Sheik Shadow, but he had been mysteriously absent for a few days now. Part of Link wondered if everything was all right with Sheik; his mother was a drugy with demanding medical issues, and his father had left them when Sheik was little. A life like that could really mess up a guy. Still, he wasn't overly concerned. Knowing his friend, he was probably sleeping on his couch.

He turned his attention to the class for the first time since he'd lain down. _Professor_ Ezlo, as he preferred to be called, had just finished his daily sermon on whatever topic he had chosen for today and was now facing his students. His ancient eyes surveyed the classroom coldly; he looked as if he had just happened upon a cluster of particularly repulsive cockroaches.

Although elderly, Professor Ezlo was famous for his short temper. He could explode in a senile fit of rage at any moment for any reason at all, even if you hadn't done anything wrong. Unfortunately, Link had a knack for causing such flare-ups.

Professor Ezlo's eyes suddenly zeroed in on a girl sitting near the front who was trying, and failing, to conceal her cell phone from him as she texted her friend across the room.

"Miss Domain," Ezlo said in a high-pitched feeble voice that made him sound like Keebler elf, "Would you care to summarize for the class what you learned today?"

The girl, a cheerleader named Ruto, looked up blankly.

"Do what?" she asked in her annoying valley girl voice. Ezlo held out his hand impatiently, and she handed her phone over with an irritated glare.

Link snickered despite himself. Ezlo's eyes snapped towards the noise.

"Mr. Hero? How about you?" Link felt his grin grow crooked and slide off his face.

"Um, we…well…"

"No, of course not. What was I thinking?" said Ezlo dryly. Link scowled.

"Alright then. In order to determine who was actually paying attention in my class, you will all be writing me a five-page essay on today's lesson, due when you walk in this classroom tomorrow afternoon."

The whole class groaned. "Maybe," Ezlo said loudly over the noise, "if you had-"

The bell rang shrilly, cutting of Professor Ezlo mid-sentence, and the whole class herded out of the room.

Link stuffed his headphones into his pocket roughly and started down the hall towards the stairwell, muttering darkly about Professor Ezlo and the various torture techniques he'd enjoy performing on him. Midna walked beside him, but said nothing. She stared without seeing down at the grungy floor tiles, blue because they were on the second floor, and gave half-hearted nods in agreement with Link's savage thoughts.

Link let his words die off and gave his friend a concerned look. Midna usually joined in whenever Link suggested doing cruel and physically impossible things to teachers, even if they never actually went through with it. It took a lot to make Midna loose her eccentric personality, and by the empty look on her face, something was seriously bugging her.

As they reached the ground floor and exited the stairwell, Link pulled her off to the side of the hallway beside the door to Mrs. Telma's English class.

"Midna, are you feeling alright? You seem kinda out of it." She didn't reply. Her eyes still remained glued to the floor.

"Um, hello? Earth to Midna?" He snapped a few times in front of her face, and when she didn't react he popped his finger into his mouth and crammed it into her ear. She jerked back with a shriek and began trying to clean out her ear with the cuff of her sweater.

"Link! What is wrong with you? Do that again, and I swear I'll kick you where it counts so hard you'll get a sex change!"

"I'll remember that." He said chuckled, bemused. "Now, do you mind telling me why you've been walking around like a zombie all day?"

She scowled defensively. "I have not!"

Link raised an eyebrow.

Midna leaned against the wall and sighed. "It's just…it's nothing. Just forget it." She bit her lip and returned to looking at the floor tiles.

Link opened his mouth to argue when suddenly the door behind him burst open, and with a painful crack collided with the back of his head.

When his vision refocused a second later, he found himself laying flat on his back on the floor with a throbbing pain in the back of his head. The first thing he registered was Midna's laughter. The second was the face of the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen standing beside her. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook himself to clear his head, but instantly regretted it as pain flashed through his skull. When he opened his eyes again, vision swimming slightly, the girl was still there.

It took him a second to realize that she was talking.

"Whazzat?" he groaned as he clambered to his feet while massaging the back of his head. Midna was still laughing.

"I asked you if you were ok," she said. Her voice had an entrancingly melodious quality to it, and her concern seemed genuine. Odd, that. Usually girls like her ignored his existence entirely. "I'm really, really sorry! I didn't mean to hit you, I just didn't know you were standing there, and I was sort of in a hurry and…I'm really sorry…"

She was a few inches shorter than Link was, maybe about Midna's height, with long blond hair that cascaded down her back and curled slightly at the tips. Her eyes were a deep purplish color, like a gemstone. Something about her seemed oddly familiar…

"If you two lovebirds are done drooling over each other, I really need to get going."

Link jerked his eyes away with a jolt, his face growing hot. What was wrong with him?

"Well, sorry again about the door thing." The girl said awkwardly. "I swear it won't happen again."

Link nodded, then instantly felt stupid. He tried saying something funny or witty to let her know that he wasn't mad at her, but for some reason his voice didn't seem to want to work. Midna began tapping her foot impatiently.

"So…I guess I'll see you around…?"

"Ah, Link! Link, I'm…I'm Link." he spluttered hurriedly.

She smiled and said, "I'm Zelda." Midna cleared her throat loudly.

"Uh, bye then." He said. She smiled again before turning around and heading towards the opposite hallway.

Link stared at her retreating figure numbly. What was wrong with him? It's not like he'd never seen a pretty girl before. But there was something about the way she'd smiled at him, the way her eyes had sparkled with worry when she'd found that she'd hurt him, the way that her hair swayed now when she walked…

Suddenly something wet and slimy was jammed into his ear, and he jerked away from Midna with a hoarse yelp.

"What the heck was that for?" he yelled while Midna cackled with fiendish glee.

"Call it pay back." She said, than laughed again when he scowled.

"So," she said as they started in the direction of the student parking lot, "do you always drool when you meet new people?"

"I wasn't drooling!" He said indignantly.

"Uh-huh. So explain the waterfall of saliva pouring from your mouth."

"I was not drooling!" Link said defensively. "I just had…slight brain damage from the door hitting me so hard!"

Midna laughed. "Link, I think you need to have a brain before you can have brain damage."

Link shoved her playfully into the wall. "Come on, let's get going."

Threading their way through the mass of students, Link and Midna headed down the main hallway on the first floor. Ordona High was set up strangely; the first floor was in the shape of a U, the bus drop-off on the east end, and student parking on the west. The first floor held the major elective classrooms; i.e. band, chorus, P.E., art, etc, as well as the special Ed classes and the lunchroom. Second floor held all of the academics, and was shaped like a smaller U to fit atop the first. It even had a little balcony where students used to be able to go up and eat lunch, but the door had been locked long since.

The third floor, however, was sort of a mystery. Not that students weren't allowed up their; quite the contrary. The mystery lay in its existence. For whatever reason, the builders decided during construction that the main office should be up on the third floor, No classrooms, and no janitor's closet, just the office. You can imagine parents' angry mutters as they climb the stairs when they're child's been caught smoking or vandalizing property. There was also a little door that led out onto the roof so that the teachers could check the lightning rods and satellites, but unlike other schools, few tried to break out onto the roof because of its close location to the principle's office.

As they passed the commons area, Link looked out among the many clusters of students and their various extracurricular activities. There were the Cheerleaders, the Dance Squad, Mock Trial, and, of course, the football team. Despite it being March, the football season long over, the team still hung out with the cheerleaders after school and talked of nothing but their exploits during the last season. They totally ignored the Key Club, who was trying to meet right beside them despite their raucous laughter; but then, what exactly did Key Club do, anyway?

Ordona High was very big on their cliques. For example, jocks only hung out with jocks and cheerleaders, who in turn only dated jocks. Chess team was limited to social interaction only with those who took classes in advanced placement, and the loners basically kept to themselves. Then, there was the 'middle class'; those who were average in classes and physical activity, but still had friends. Link guessed that he fit somewhere in that category, although he tried his best to ignore the stereotyping. Sure, the star quarterback, Darunia, still loathed him, and the head cheerleader, the Ruto girl from Pr. Ezlo's class, utterly ignored him, but that really didn't bother him. He felt that his small cluster of friends were about as diverse as you could get in such an enclosed town.

Heading outside, Link pulled his green hoodie around closer as a cold breeze blew over the campus. The last bitter gusts of winter were finally dissipating and signs of spring starting to crop up. Some memorial garden planted by the doorway in honor of a senior class years gone was starting to show promising signs of flowers. Heading out into the student parking lot, Link smiled up at the sun; he hated the winter. He didn't much like being indoors either, so the sun was a much welcome sight.

Link and Midna tossed their backpacks into the back of Link's beaten up old pick up truck before climbing into the front seats. The paint had peeled off ages ago, and years of exposure to the elements had caused the old metal to rust, giving it a dirty brown hue. When Link inherited the truck from his grandfather, he had decided to christen it 'Epona', after his mother's old horse, because they were both brown and enjoyed giving Link problems.

"Where's Aryll?" Midna asked as she climbed into the passenger seat. Link slammed his door and turned his key in the ignition. It sputtered and refused to start.

"She's got Lacrosse or something after school. My grandma will get her when she's done." Link grumbled, trying the key again. With an elderly wheeze the truck kicked into life.

Midna nodded, then turned to gaze out the window as Link fiddled for a radio station and pulled out of the parking lot. Suddenly, he remembered what they had been talking about before he'd had his head cleaved in two.

"So," he said casually, "Are you going to tell me why you've been so Emo?"

"I said it was nothing, remember?"

"Tell me anyway, you know how nosy I am." He sent her a playful grin to demonstrate his point.

She sighed. "It's just…have you seen Sheik around lately?"

Link blinked. "Sheik? No, not for a few days now. But stop changing the subject, I want to know what's up."

"I'm not changing the subject. Link, I'm really worried about him. Do you think he's hiding because of the kids at school?"

Link looked at her disbelievingly. "Look, I know the kids at Ordon are real jerks, especially to guys like Sheik, but come on. He's seventeen, and far from a coward. He wouldn't run away, and you know that. Remember the fight he had in seventh grade?"

Midna glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, then said slowly, "It's probably nothing, but…I saw him about a week ago hanging out with Ganondorf and his posse. You don't think he's gotten himself into…trouble, do you?"

Link laughed despite himself. _When had Ganondorf gotten out of Juvy?_ He shook the thought off and said, "No way, Sheik's way too lazy to get into trouble. Actually, I'm surprised he has enough energy to get out of bed in the morning. Heck, that's probably where he is right now, the lazy little…"

Midna gave Link a reproachful look. "You know what Ganondorf's like, Link."

Midna had continued talking, but Link was no longer paying attention. His thoughts had drifted on to Ganondorf and what he knew of him. Ganondorf was always the weird kid. Not because he was nerdy or shy; actually he was really popular among his group of friends. No, he was just plain creepy. Ganondorf had some sort of malevolent aura that surrounded him constantly. Just being around him made you fearful, and it wasn't just him. Even the teachers could feel it.

When he was in elementary school, Ganondorf and his friends used to pick on Link mercilessly, and it had only gotten worse as the years progressed. Ganondorf hadn't been much of a problem lately, however, because sometime in freshmen year he'd been sent to Juvy for severely injuring a student. Link had walked in just in time to see it happen, and it was basically because of Link that Ganondorf had been caught. He was pretty sure that Ganondorf now had it out for him.

"Link, are you listening to me?" Midna asked, snapping Link out of his reverie.

"Yeah," he said quickly. She sighed and returned her gaze out the window.

Really though, Link couldn't see why she was so worried. The thought of Sheik getting all buddy-buddy with Ganondorf was completely insane. But the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became. Could Sheik really be with Ganondorf?

The rest of the car ride passed in silence. Link wanted to say something to reassure Midna, yet every time he tried the words died in his mouth. But when they pulled onto Midna's driveway, and Midna moved to get out of the car, Link reached out and stopped her.

"Listen," he said, "I'll call him tonight, ok?"

"Thanks, Link." she said quietly, and then she stepped out of the truck, and shut the door. Link took a slow, steady breath, and then let it all out in a rush. _Sheik, what have you gotten yourself into?_

Sheik lay alone on his bed, staring transfixed at the small metal object in his hands. It felt odd and clumsy, cold, but Ganondorf had assured him that he wouldn't have to use it, that it was just for show. Ganondorf had others to use those. He dropped the object on the bed beside him and ran his fingers through his long blonde hair. _What have I gotten myself into?_ he thought. His apartment was silent. His father had walked out on them back when he was a toddler, and his mother…

He crushed the rising sorrow firmly. None of that mattered now. Come tomorrow, everything would be different. Everything would change. It had to change. Ganondorf had promised. With the rising of the sun, he had said, the very foundations of this once noble country will be shaken forever. It was Ganondorf's grand plan. Sheik smiled. Everything different.

Suddenly, the phone rang. For a moment, Sheik considered answering it. It might be one of the guys. But no, if it were, they'd leave a message. Besides, he didn't really want to talk to anybody right now.

After three rings, the answering machine picked up.

"Sheik? Are you there? Sheik, come on, pick up the phone."

Sheik's heart nearly stopped. Link? Why was Link calling? Had he somehow heard about…? Could he suspect what he was…? His hand stretched out to pick up the phone, but stopped halfway. No, Link couldn't know. Besides, he couldn't afford friends right now. Nobody was his friend; nobody cared about him except for the Group. Link was lost to him.

He let his hand fall.

"Sheik? Sheik? All right, fine. Um, when you get back from wherever you are, call me. Or Midna. We're starting to get worried about you. So, um…yeah. See you whenever you decide to stop being a hermit. Bye."

The phone hung up, and Sheik released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Link? And Midna? Worried about him? Had they found out…but no. There was no way. Nobody knew of the connection between him and Ganondorf. And as long as it stayed that way, nobody he cared about had to get hurt. Ganondorf had promised. His plan was so perfect, how could it fail?

_Link,_ he thought desperately, staring at the gun that lay beside him, _Midna. Please, whatever goddesses can hear me. Don't let them go to school tomorrow_.

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**Ok, so like I said, it's longer, a little different, and hopefully better. I've had some great ideas about the future of this story and some characters that'll show up in time. It looks like there'll be about 15 chapters in this story, maybe more. It all depends. I'm debating on adding Ralph in here somewhere; he's not necessary to the story line, so you guys let me know if you wanna see him or not.  
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**Anyway, hope you liked it, and I'll post again soon. But just so you know, the chapters will show up sporadically, rather than in a set time period.  
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	2. Food for Thought

**Haha! I'm back! Admit it; you all thought I wasn't gonna finish this story, just as so many before me have started stories, then let them drop. Well guess what? I'm back, and I've got a battle plan. Like I stated last chapter, this story'll have about 15 chapters, and in order to make sure that I don't get side tracked again and forget about this story, I've already outlined how they're gonna go, and have finished writing the first five. **

**Basically, I'm saying that I won't be dropping this again, so be prepared.  
**

**Anyway, here's chapter two. I hope you like it. **

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**Chapter 2**

**Food for Thought**

"Come on, Link. We're running out of time."

Link drew his eyebrows down in frustration. How could he be expected to make such a difficult decision, with so much riding on it, in so little time? He ran his fingers anxiously through his already messy hair.

"Um, I…uh…" _Which one, which one? So hard to choose!_ He hated hasty decisions.

"Spit it out!"

"Well, I just…um…"

"Link, Holy-"

"Lucky Charms!" Link blurted out. "No, wait-"

"Too late." His sister Aryll cut in as she hopped off of the kitchen counter and plucked the cereal box out of the cupboard.

Link grumbled bitterly under his breath as he stared up at the Cocoa Puffs that might have been. Aryll smacked him playfully on the side of his head.

"Don't look so grumpy. I thought you liked Lucky Charms," she said over the tinkling of the cereal falling into two glass bowls.

"I do," Link said as he straightened in his chair and yawned. "But I like Cocoa Puffs, too. Sometimes, it's just so hard to choose."

Aryll rolled her eyes and muttered something about 'boys and their cereal'. Links gaze drifted out the window into the blinding morning sunlight. It was early, maybe an hour before school started. Usually Link wasn't up this early, but a dream last night had woken him up and he hadn't been able to fall back asleep.

There had been a building in his dream, large and foreboding, and oddly familiar; kinda like his high school. There had also been this terrible screaming; more of a shrieking, as if hundreds people were being gruesomely tortured. It had left him with a sense of duty, like there was something that he desperately needed to do, mingled with…anxiety? Apprehension? He wasn't sure, but it was there.

But Link had shrugged the dream off. He often had nightmares about his High School, though most of them involved him hanging naked from the bleachers by his ankles as he was brutally strapped by fat old cafeteria workers during a school assembly. All in all, last night's dream seemed much less weird. And humiliating.

"Hello? Earth to Link!"

Link blinked. Aryll was waving a spoon in front of his face with a bemused expression.

"What did you say?" Link asked as he plucked the spoon from her hand and dug into the cereal bowl he had just noticed was sitting in front of him.

"I was telling you that I don't need a ride to school today. Collin is picking me up in a few minutes."

"Since when can Collin drive?" Link's voice came out thick through a mouthful of miniature marshmallows.

"Since he passed his drivers test last week." She replied proudly. Collin was Aryll's boyfriend; they had been dating a little more than a month now. At first, Link hadn't been too happy to learn that his sister was dating some punk kid he didn't know, but then he met Collin and his disapproval disappeared.

Collin was one of those guys who was always nice to people. Always. It was like he had this mental disorder where he couldn't be mean. The bad thing was, he was incredibly shy, and could never seem to stick up for himself, and as a result was picked on a lot at school. He nearly wet his pants when Aryll had brought him over to her house and told him that the guy holding the baseball bat with a homicidal glint in his eye was her older brother.

"Hey," his sister asked, interrupting his thoughts for the second time. "Who did you call last night?"

Link gave her a disgruntled look. "How do you know that I called somebody?"

"Um, 'cause you took the phone away from me while I was talking to Malon and said you had somebody more important to talk to?"

"Oh, right." He took another bite of his cereal.

"Well?"

"I was trying to talk to Sheik. He's been ditching school for a while now."

"Oh yeah?" she said absently while looking out the kitchen window.

Link snorted. "Like you haven't been dieing for him to come back."

Aryll blushed deeply despite her glaring eyes. "Why would I care about any friend of yours?" She snapped defensively.

"Maybe because you've been in love with him since you were in the fourth grade."

Aryll scowled darkly and said, "I have a boyfriend Link. And for your information, I haven't had feelings for Sheik since middle school."

The doorbell rang and Aryll leapt out of her seat. "That's Collin! Bye, Link, see you at school!"

Link looked down at his empty cereal bowl as the door closed behind his sister. When had he finished eating? His stomach growled, but he stood up and put his bowl in the sink. He needed to get ready for school.

Maybe he'd try calling Sheik again.

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Midna sat petrified in her mother's silver suburban. She had the strangest suspicion that the red traffic light before her was only part of the reason that she had stopped moving. Really, she had no idea why she was so scared. Link had said that he would call Sheik, but even if Link said that everything was alright, Midna knew that she had to see for her own eyes. Yet somehow, the idea of seeing Sheik again with the possibility that Ganondorf had influenced him was terrifying. Ganondorf didn't make friends; he made cronies.

When the light turned green, Midna forced herself to follow the car in front of her. Suddenly she was gripped by an uncontrollable urge to get to Sheik as fast as she could. She couldn't trust Link's phone call to find out anything useful. She needed to see for herself.

Already she knew what she would do when she got there. First, check that he was ok, that Ganondorf hadn't attacked him and left him bleeding to death in the closet. Second, beat the living crap out of him and scream at him for avoiding his friends, for ditching school and making her worry. Finally, she would seize his hair and kiss him, kiss him long and hard until he realized that he loved her and begged for her forgiveness. Midna shook off the last thought bitterly before steeling herself for the task at hand. But the car in front was moving so slow. Curse speed limits and all those who obey them!

Without warning, a gray blur streaked through the intersecting traffic light and slammed into the car in front of her with a metallic crunch, sending the car in front spinning off into the grassy median. Midna's foot slammed down on the brakes, stunned, and the suburban screeched to a halt.

The gray blur turned out to be a large, heavyset van, the kind that plumbing industries use, except it had no label. The other was a much smaller vehicle, with fresh blue paint. The van looked virtually undamaged. The little blue car's front end was totaled.

Throwing open the door, Midna leaped out of her mother's suburban into the middle of the intersection and all but ran to the little blue car. Luckily, at this time of morning, the road was practically empty. The smashed hood sat steaming; the front wheel on the right side was bent off of the ground and still spinning vainly. She didn't spare a glance for the van; anything that could take that beating could probably protect its passengers just as well.

To her relief, the driver of the blue car had managed to extract herself despite the twisted doorframe before she reached her and looked surprisingly unharmed.

"Are you ok?" Midna asked, disbelievingly. The girl spun away from her ruined car and regarded Midna shakily before swallowing and giving a brief, pale-faced nod. It took Midna a moment before she recognized her.

"Hey, you're that Zelda girl, right? The one who nailed Link with the door?" After a slight pause, recognition bloomed in her eyes.

"Yeah, and you're… that girl, his friend who was with him." Midna nodded with a smile and the girl grimaced.

"Well, this has been one horrible first week. First I hit some poor guy with a door, and now this." She said, gesturing miserably at her car.

Midna shrugged with a grin. "Link didn't seem to terribly upset." After a moment, Zelda smiled back.

With a jolt, Midna came back to reality. Link, car, school, Sheik… Sheik. She needed to hurry up and get on with what she had set out to do.

"Well, let's go get that guys insurance info before he decides to make a quick getaway." Midna said briskly, yet even before she finished speaking a resounding screech drowned out her words.

Whirling around in surprise, identical looks of shock appeared on both girls faces as the heavyset van roared into motion, black rubber tires spinning on asphalt for traction before zooming off down the road at the same speed it had been going before the crash.

"Hey!" Zelda screamed, suddenly frantic, running after the van in vain pursuit. "Hey, get back here! Who do you think is going to pay for my car, you jerk!" The last was strangled with barely suppressed tears as the girl crumpled to the pavement.

Midna ran forward hurriedly and pulled the girl to her feet. And out of the way of passing cars. "Hey, calm down, ok? We'll get in my car and follow after them, get their license number, then call the cops. You'll see, we'll make them buy you a brand new car. They can't get away."

Tears still glistened in the girl's eyes, but she no longer looked weepy; she looked furious.

Climbing into the car, Midna squashed the little voice in her head that was glad for this excuse not to have to go and see Sheik. Part of her wanted to see him desperately, while the other was terrified of what she would discover had become of the boy she had fallen for so long ago.

With a squeal that mimicked the van in intensity, Midna floored off in pursuit.

Out of the corner of her eye, Zelda studied the strange girl beside her. Strange, but very nice. She wore mostly dark clothing, but she had streaked her dark hair with a bright yellowish orange color, almost tangerine, that reminded her of the sunset.

"So," said Zelda after a slight pause. "What's your name?"

The girl gave a start, and then focused back on driving. "Sorry, I was thinking about something. What did you say?"

"Your name. I know your friends name, and you both know mine, but I don't know yours."

"Midna. Midna Twili."

"Well, thank you Midna. You really didn't have to do this."

The girl shook her head and grinned in embarrassment. "Please, and let that creep go? I wish we could see his face when the cops get at him."

Zelda grinned back as well. Watch him get caught? She wanted to punch that moron in the face! That creep ruined her car! Her car! _Crap, _she thought, bitterly, _mom is going to kill me!_

"So, what grade are you in?" Zelda asked.

"I'm a senior. You?"

"I'm a senior, too." She replied with a smile. Well, at least she got along with one person in her grade.

"Was your…friend? Boyfriend? Mad when I hit him?

The girl blinked for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Ew! Ew, gross, no! Link's just a friend. A good friend, but that's all he'll ever be. Goddess, he's like my brother!"

"So, he's not your boyfriend?"

Midna gave her a sly look. "Why do you want to know?"

Zelda's face bloomed scarlet. "No, no, no! Nothing like that, I was just curious!"

Midna was having none of it. "Uh-huh. I suppose you enjoyed the way he got all tongue-tied when he saw you?" she said, cackling madly.

Zelda hurriedly sought around for an excuse. "Please, he probably already has a girlfriend."

Midna shook her head. "Nope. Link's only ever dated one girl, named Ilia. But that was like, freshman year, and she moved to Termina with her father about a year ago. Link's all free."

Zelda blushed again and decided to change tactics. Really, the guy was cute, but she had only seen him once, and she'd knocked him over with a door! Not the greatest first impression.

"What about you? Do you have a guy?" Midna suddenly grew solemn.

"Sorry," Zelda said hurriedly. "No, I'm sorry if that's a sensitive subject."

To her surprise, however, Midna shook her head and said, "No, no it's ok. I've sort of…liked…this one guy named Sheik for a long time now, he's just never…"

Zelda smiled. "Is he cute?"

Midna grinned back. "Gorgeous."

"Then we'll just have to find a way to make him like you." Zelda said matter-of-factly.

Midna smiled, opened her mouth to respond, when suddenly, just ahead of them, they saw it.

The Gray Van; the van that busted her car.

A sudden thought came to Zelda that made her shiver. _What if this guy was some sort of psycho, and tries to attack us? _She thought, stomach twisting nervously until she remembered that they didn't have to leave the car, just drive up behind him. Almost as if her thought sparked it, the van swerved off to the right down a narrow road leading to a cemetery.

Zelda's blood froze even as Midna swerved to follow him. Everything she had ever seen in the movies told her not to go; that bad things always happened to lone girls in cemeteries. But even as she thought that, she remembered her car, and her determination strengthened. She wanted her payback.

The chapel in front of the cemetery wasn't that far from the main road, so when they turned down the narrow street, the van was already behind the building. They pulled in carefully, and waited a moment before parking near the front. If they were lucky, the guy would have already entered and they could sneak a look at the license plate without him knowing.

However, when they exited the car and peeked around the side of the chapel, the car was nowhere to be seen. Zelda stared at the vacant parking lot in confusion. Where was the van? It had to be there somewhere!

Growling in her throat in frustration, Zelda opened her mouth to say something when Midna touched her arm and pointed off into the cemetery. There, a couple of hundred feet away, lumbered the gray van. Zelda nodded in satisfaction.

Exchanging brief glances, the two girls set off in pursuit on foot; the suburban would have been easy to recognize from the crash scene. Darting between headstones for cover, they watched as the van rolled to a halt before an old cement crypt. They paused for a moment, waiting for the driver to get out, but after a few moments of stillness they hurried forward.

Zelda's heart pounded furiously in her chest. Something about sneaking up behind a strange van in a cemetery in order to find its license plate number so that you could call the cops who could identify them and make them pay for the damages to your car so that your mom wouldn't kill you, all while you were supposed to be at school, gave her the creeps. She had never liked cemeteries.

As they crept within a few yards of the van, Zelda realized that despite the obvious age of the crypt, most of the gravestones around it were very new. The dirt still looked fresh on a couple of them. Zelda was about to dart behind a large angel statue when Midna seized her arm and pulled her down behind a plain rectangular stone.

"What are you-"

Midna slapped her hand over Zelda's mouth and gestured frantically over her shoulder. Rising to her knees, Zelda peeked over the tombstone and found herself watching two new vehicles pulling into the chapel parking lot before following the path the van had traveled into the sea of gravesites.

Zelda fell back down beside Midna and wrapped her arms around her legs, trying to tell her heart to stop beating so fast. Likely this was some sort of drug exchange, or something innocent, like gravediggers, but Zelda doubted it. Something felt decidedly sinister about the van's proceedings, and the last thing she wanted was to be discovered hiding behind a headstone.

The crunch of gravel announced the cars' arrival, and after a moment several doors slammed shut and Zelda began to hear voices.

Zelda found herself struggling to resist the urge to peek around the headstone. It sounded like there were about five voices behind her, all male and all teenagers. That was odd, but then, she decided, teenagers did drugs too.

"Are we all here?" asked a voice somewhere to the right. It was deep and powerful, and made her swallow convulsively. It frightened her.

"Yeah, this is all of us. All that matter, at least." Another replied before cackling gleefully. This one was much higher than the first, and sounded eerily similar to a small child.

Zelda couldn't help herself any longer. She twisted around and carefully peeked one eye around the edge of the tombstone and felt Midna do the same beside her.

All five speakers stood in a rough circle just in front of the crypt, surrounded by their three cars. One, she assumed he was the owner of the first voice, stood straight and impassive with all eyes on him, but by his positioning he blocked off view of one of the guys. He was large, very large, with dark skin and deep red hair. His clothing looked dark and expensive and very well cared for, which stood in sharp contrast to the other five.

"Good." He said, folding his arms and leaning against a round-topped tombstone, "let's get this meeting over with quickly so we can get our plan started."

"Sakon," he said, and one of the boys jumped. "Did you get everything that I told you to?"

Sakon nodded eagerly. After a moment, Zelda realized that there was not one outstanding feature about the guy. His hair was dirty blond and of normal length, and his clothing was just as unremarkable as his height and eye color. It made your eyes want to slide away from him.

"Y-yes, my lord." He stammered, making careful pains to keep from making eye contact. "I got all the stuff you asked for. And I gave it all to Vaati, honest I did. You can ask him yourself."

The owner of the first voice turned to the boy standing on Sakon's left. "Well? Did he?"

"Yes, he collected it all." the boy said. This one seemed to have an abnormal fixation with the color purple. Everything about him was purple, from his hoodie to his shoes. Even his eyes were purple, and he had died his long hair a light shade of lavender. All except for his skin, which was very pale, as if he stayed inside most of the time, away from sunlight.

"Zant and I have put it all together for you, just as you asked." He also had a very proper way of speaking, as if he was trying to impress a teacher with his grammar.

"Good work Sakon, Vaati." He said, inclining his head to each in turn. Vaati nodded back, but Sakon twitched.

"Zant," he said, turning his attention to the fourth in the group, "I'll need you to oversee set up this morning. We can make the less important one's do most of the work, but you'll have to make sure that there are no mistakes. We can't afford them this late in the game." The boy with the preschooler voice grinned lopsidedly, revealing small, pointed teeth.

"But of course, Ganondorf. I live to serve you and your glorious plan." Zant grinned with a mock bow.

With the exception of his voice, the fourth one really looked the part of a guy who would hold strange meetings in cemeteries. He was tall and lanky, and every inch of him was tattooed, including his shaven head. His eyes were wide and starring, as if he had caught you doing something wrong.

The large one, Ganondorf, turned finally to address the last member of the group, and Zelda got her first glimpse of him. He was of moderate height, not short but not tall either, and very lithe. His eyes, however, were a startlingly deep blood red color that shamed even Vaati in strangeness. His long blond hair hung down into his eyes and collar.

"Sheik," Ganondorf said, and Zelda felt Midna stiffen beside her and let out a small gasp. She thought Sakon's eyes darted towards them. "You've done what I asked?"

Sheik nodded wearily, and Zelda noticed that his eyes were sunken in, and his face looked haggard. Clearly Ganondorf had been working him hard.

"Good, then you can help Zant with preparations. You too, Vaati. I'll expect the first explosion exactly fifteen minutes after the second bell rings." _Wait, explosion?_ "The rest have to happen immediately afterward, or else some of the students might escape. Remember, after the exits are sealed, round up the students into as many classrooms as you can hold. Kill any who cause problems. Let's get going."

It was Zelda's turn to gasp. There was no mistaking Sakon's eyes this time. As he started towards them, mouth opening to say something, Zelda jerked back behind the headstone, heart hammering even more intensely than before. _Oh goddesses! _She thought, panicking. _They're going to kill us! They're going to kill everyone! Help!_

As if the answer to a prayer, Zelda heard Vaati suddenly say, "Hey Zant, what happened to your car?"

When Sakon failed to mention them, Zelda peeked back around the tombstone to find everyone examining the van's front bumper.

"Oh, I hit some moron this morning on the way here." He said with a giggle.

Ganondorf spun towards him. "You what? Did they call the police?"

"No, no, I got away before they even noticed me. They were too busy looking at their car."

Ganondorf glowered until Zant looked away, then spun back to his car and said, "It's time to go, we're running late enough as it is. Sakon, come with me, I need your assistance with something special. Vaati, go with Zant and round up the others. Sheik, you go on alone and meet up with Zant at the school."

After a few more gut-wrenching moments, Zelda heard five doors slam and three cars drive away. Still, she waited for a few moments before getting up to see if the coast was clear. It was.

"Oh, goddesses, Midna! Did you hear what they said? They're going to attack the school with bombs and guns and… today! We need to tell someone, call the cops or…"

Zelda wrapped her arms around herself shakily and tried to take control of her breathing. Midna was still on the ground.

"Midna, do you have a phone?" She didn't answer. "Midna? Midna, are you ok?"

Midna jerked, then looked at Zelda as if she hadn't seen her before.

"Did you see him?" she asked softly.

"Him? Who him? The idiot who hit my car?"

Midna shook her head. "No, the one with the red eyes."

Zelda wracked her brain for the name. "Who, the Sheik guy?" Something clicked in her brain. "Wait, that's not the same Sheik, is it? The one you were telling me about?"

Midna didn't need to answer; her face said it all.

"Oh, Midna, I'm so sorry!" But Midna wasn't paying attention again. Her eyes were staring shocked at the tombstone. Zelda followed her gaze.

**Here lies Impa Shadow, beloved mother and friend. May she rest in peace.** Was engraved just above two dates.

"What is it? Do you know her?"

"It's Sheik's mother." Midna said softly, tears spilling down her cheeks.

* * *

**Aight. There's chapter two. I hope you liked it. In any event, I can't think of a clever way to trick you into reviewing, so... just do it? Please? Haha, but seriously. This story is written for the readers, so let me know what I could be doing better. **

**Also, like I mentioned before, let me know if you want me to add Ralph in later chapters. I feel that the Oracle games are horribly underrepresented in my story, unlike the rest of the games, so let me know. **

**Yours in zestiness, **

**ZC  
**


	3. Phase One

**Hey guys. I'm thinkin' a week an update sounds good to me. I live a busy life, what can I say? So anyway, here ya go. Hope you like it. **

**Chapter 3**

**Phase One**

Zant sat back on his heels as he inspected the long bundle of wires that ran up the graffiti covered stall and disappeared into the ceiling through a loose tile. Those wires, and others like it stemming from various locations in the school, connected to a series of homemade pipe bombs that had been strategically placed around the schools exits on the ground floor. Zant glanced at his watch in irritation. There was still 63 minutes left until the fun started. Ganondorf had insisted that they wait for fifteen minutes after the second bell rang to be sure that as many students as possible would be in the school. In made sense to Zant, but he was still too excited to remain sitting in one place.

Standing up, he did his best to stretch despite the cramped space. He was alone in the grungy stall, but three other guys were in the bathroom with him to help with preparations and hiding the evidence. Plus, there were two more outside. Ganondorf had enlisted all of the help he could get; even people from other schools. There were a surprising number of hate-driven students in and around Hyrule.

In total, there were between thirty and forty members of the group here, including himself and Ganondorf. It was gearing up to be the largest school-based massacre in modern history. Zant couldn't wait.

Murmuring voices in the direction of the bathroom entrance drew his attention. He quickly exited the stall and placed his hand on the handle of the gun he had stuffed in the back of his pants. He didn't know who was doing the talking, but if whomever it was managed to get past the guy they had watching the door, Zant was prepared to do what was necessary to protect their cause.

The voices eventually faded into silence and muffled footsteps announced that the stranger was leaving. Zant relaxed his grip on the handle of his weapon.

"Damian!" Zant hissed, enraged. "Damian, get over here! Carlov, you go take over watch for a minute!"

Carlov, a husky boy from some place beyond Snow Peak, gave Zant a bitter glare and trudged over to where Damian, a dark-haired rogue from Kakariko Village, was now emerging from behind a wall that obscured the bathroom entrance. He grinned at Zant who scowled in return.

"Who were you talking to?" Zant snarled, trying and failing to keep his voice low. "Don't you realize that if some goody-two-shoes goes off and tells a teacher that we won't let him pee, we're-"

"Relax," Damian cut in. Zant's eye twitched in irritation. "It was the weasel. He was just reporting in."

"Well, what did he have to say?'

"He says that those kids you asked him to spy on are all here, except for the gothic chick. He's gone to see if she's showed up yet, and then he'll make sure they're where they're s'posed to be."

"It doesn't matter that one's missing," said Zant. Despite Damian's incivility, Zant was feeling pretty happy at the moment. Their plans were finally coming to fruition. "All but one is good enough. We'll get the girl some other time. You just get back to watching your door so Carlov doesn't have a conniption."

Damian smirked and walked back behind the wall. Carlov returned with a glower.

Zant let his long lanky legs carry him back into his stall. All but One; Ganondorf would have to accept that. And if not, he would pin the blame on Damian. He really didn't like that boy; he was too cheerful for what was about to take place. In truth, Zant had no idea why Ganondorf had wanted to make certain that certain specific students were in attendance, but then again, he didn't really care either. His thoughts drifted to the others in the remaining bathrooms. He wondered if Vaati and Sheik had managed to set their explosives up correctly. Leave it to a bookworm like Vaati and a coward like Sheik to mess things up now.

The bell signaling first period rang shrilly from the hallway. Zant smiled.

"Well boys," he said ominously as he reemerged from the stall. "Get your toys ready, it's almost time to play."

* * *

"So, class." Said Mr. Auru as he leaned casually against his desk. "This is officially your discussion time. Feel free to ask any questions you want to, as long as they're appropriate," he sent a meaningful glance towards the few guys in the back row, "and have to do with history." He sent another meaningful glance towards Ruto.

Unsurprisingly, at least to Aryll, Shad's hand was the first and only in the air.

"Yes, Shad?" Auru asked. Mr. Auru was one of Aryll's favorite teachers because he never got in your face. He was very calm and laid back, very nice, and very passionate about Hyrule's history. Though he was getting on in age, he always seemed to be able to connect to his students in such a way that he was easily one of the most popular teachers in the school.

"Um, well, I had a question pertaining to the Age of the Hero of Winds." Shad replied. Shad was a very quiet boy who shied away from most people. He was also something of a nerd, boasting an enormous brain and a mother who seemed to believe that comb-over's were somehow still in style. Shad was one of Mr. Auru's favorite students because he shared his passion for history.

"Yes?" Mr. Auru prompted gently.

"Well, you said that during this time all of Hyrule was covered in water? I don't understand how that could be."

Auru nodded curtly and said, "Well, if you remember back to a few weeks ago when we were studying the Hero of Time, you'd remember that after defeating the dark one, the Hero left Hyrule behind."

Aryll felt herself sit up a little straighter and she drew her mind out of its blank reverie. The Hero of Time was one of her favorite stories.

Shad shook his head and said, "Why did the Hero leave? I mean, he had just saved Hyrule from a terrible fate; certainly he would have been honored and revered for the rest of his life. Instead he left his country behind to be tormented by the dark one all over again." Aryll nodded in agreement with Shad. She had always wondered why the Hero had left his home and friends behind. Why rescue them if you were just going to leave them to be killed?

Auru gave a sad sigh and said, "Well, try not to judge the Hero too hard here, guys. Look at things from his point of view. He left behind everything and everyone he knew as a child, all of his friends, in order to do what the Royal Family asked of him. Then, he ended up loosing seven years of his life, only to awaken to find all of Hyrule a mess, his friends had either been killed or had forgotten about him, and his only hope, the Princess, was in hiding. He then went on, braving terrible dangers and threats to rescue his friends and the Princess with absolutely no help beside an enigmatic Sheikah warrior and a sacred sword. And when he finally manages to defeat the dark one and imprison him in the Sacred Realm, the Princess sends him back to his childhood. Yet again, everyone forgets who he is, and he's banned from his home because he's of Hylian decent and not Kokiri."

"So, he left because he was lonely?" Shad asked dully.

"He wasn't alone!" cut in a pretty tomboy to his left, Aryll thought her name was Ashei. "He still had the Princess! Why'd he leave her then?"

Auru chuckled. "Well, I imagine that the Hero wasn't too happy with the Princess at the time. She had basically rewarded his rescue of her and her kingdom by ruining his life. I guess the Hero pretty much hated her, and left Hyrule in order to escape her. Which leads into Shad's question about-"

"Whoa, wait, that's all wrong!" Aryll said before realizing that she was speaking out loud.

Auru gave her a surprised look. "It's wrong? What's wrong?"

"Well, the Hero couldn't have hated the Princess. They were in love." Aryll said softly, feeling her face go red.

Auru stared at her blankly. "In love?"

Aryll quickly realized that the entire class was looking at her, and she felt her face go even redder. "Well, yeah." She said quickly. "Of course, look at all he did for her. No guy would risk his life if there wasn't a girl involved."

Auru nodded thoughtfully. "So, you believe that the Hero was motivated by his deep love for the Princess." Aryll nodded. "His deep love for the Princess who ruined his life and drove him to flee the country?"

Aryll shook her head vigorously and said; "I think that the Princess sent him back in time because she wanted to give him his life back. I think she felt awful for what she put him through and was trying to pay him back somehow."

It was Auru's turn to shake his head. "If that were true, then when the Hero came to see her before leaving, she would have convinced him to stay."

Aryll had nothing to say, but to her surprise, Shad did. "Excuse me, Mr. Auru, but you're wrong." Auru looked at him with raised eyebrows and gestured for him to expound.

"You said that the Princess sent the Hero back to his childhood. That is both true and misleading."

Auru blinked and Aryll turned around to give Shad a confused look. "The Princess did send the Hero back," Shad said slowly, "but not just him. She sent the entire world back those seven years. I think that Aryll is right, that they were in love," he glanced at Aryll, "and that the Princess was sacrificing both her feelings and the feelings of her Hero for the good of the country."

Auru leaned back against the desk with a thoughtful look. "Well, in that case," he said, "Why didn't they stay together when he came to see her?"

"I don't think that the Hero knew why she had reversed time." Shad said. "I think that he was mad at her, like you said. Or maybe he had another reason for leaving. Though there's little to support it, I've read that children of the Kokiri, where the Hero grew up, had fairy friends. Maybe when he was banned from the forests, the fairy left him, and he went to find it."

Ashei said incredulously, "He left behind the love of his life to chase a fairy?"

Shad gave her a longsuffering look. "He left his love to find his _friend_."

"And then what? Why didn't he ever come back?" Aryll turned her head and was surprised to see that the voice belonged to her best friend, Malon.

"I don't…know..." Shad turned his head to address Malon and his voice faded away. He was apparently stunned to find that he was having a conversation with three different females. His face turned as red as his hair as he sunk lower into his chair and fixed his eyes on the desktop.

"Actually," said Mr. Auru with an excited smile towards Malon; it was rare that this many students participated in classroom discussions, "Not many of you would know this, since you've only been taught Hyrulian history, but the hero went off to be a hero somewhere else, though not much is known about what happened."

"Hold up," cut in Ashei, "you're saying that he ditched his country, his girlfriend, and his fairy-thing, and ran away to be famous somewhere else?"

"Well, essentially, yes."

"Where did he go?" Malon asked, leaning forward as Ashei snorted in disgust. To Aryll's surprise, Malon actually seemed interested in the conversation. Malon was never interested in anything that wasn't boys, horses, or clothing. Letting her gaze sweep the classroom, she discovered that a majority of the class was actually paying attention. The only exceptions were the small cluster of jocks and cheerleaders in the corner. From across the room, Aryll watched Ruto attempt to hold back laughter at something that apparently Aryll had just missed. For some reason, Shad's face was growing redder.

"Termina," replied Auru simply, and Ashei burst out laughing.

"_Termina?_ You've _got_ to be kidding me! Why'd he go _there_?"

"No one really knows." Auru said with a shrug. "Maybe he was trying to avoid the Princess. Maybe he was banished by the goddesses. Or, maybe Termina was one of his favorite vacations spots." Auru grinned at his own wit, but the class only let out a few half-hearted chuckles.

Rolling his eyes, Mr. Auru said, "Anyway, back to what we were talking about. Now, Shad, when the Hero left-"

Mr. Auru broke off as Ruto let out an earsplitting shriek of laughter. The basketball player sat up quickly, but not before Aryll saw him performing an incredibly cruel interpretation of Shad for Ruto's amusement. If Shad's face was red before, now it was scarlet.

Mr. Auru turned his head towards the little knot of popular kids, but before he could open his mouth, the bell rang.

Rising to their feet, the class hurriedly left the room amidst a cacophony of noise. Sliding in her chair beneath the desk, Aryll turned to Malon and said teasingly, "Wow, Malon. I was surprised to see you paying attention today."

Malon punched her playfully as she swung her backpack over her shoulder. "Shut up. I'm always paying attention." Aryll snorted.

As she turned to leave, Aryll watched Mr. Auru cross the room towards Ruto. Aryll put out her hand to stop Malon and nodded her head towards the two. Ever since grade school, Aryll and Malon had shared the sort of relationship with Ruto that only hate driven, spiteful, and vindictive young girls could. And any opportunity to see her get in trouble was a golden one in Aryll's opinion.

Over the clamor of departing students, what they said was difficult to understand, but in the end Ruto ended up handing her cell phone over to Mr. Auru along with an incredibly frosty glare. As Mr. Auru slid the phone into the top drawer of his desk, Ruto turned on her heel and stomped out of the room, brushing past an oblivious Shad and knocking his books from his arms in the process.

"Hurry up, Geek!" spat Ashei viciously as Shad scrambled around on the floor, "I need to go see Coach Naburoo and you're making me late!" Ashei was on the school Volleyball team and had single-handedly won the championship for the past 3 years. However, because of her coarse attitude and toughness, she was mostly ignored in the school's clique system.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean t-to drop my books! I'm hurrying, really!" Shad pleaded from the ground as Ashei hissed violently and stomped over them and out the door. Aryll and Malon exchanged a brief glance before stooping down and gathering the remainder of Shad's books in their arms.

"Thank you. Really. I'm such a klutz." He said, taking back his books with a grateful smile.

"You shouldn't let Ruto push you around like that." Aryll said as they stood up, talking loudly over the clamoring students in the hallway.

"Really, I don't mind so much. It's not worth getting beaten up by the jocks over." he replied with a small smile. With another quick thank you, Shad vanished into the hallway.

"You know? For a know-it-all geek, he's really not a bad guy." Malon said as they headed off towards their lockers.

"Yeah. He's kinda cute, too. Maybe you should go after him…" Aryll trailed off with a grin and Malon frowned.

"Ew. Definitely not my type." She quickly twirled the dial, putting in her combination, before opening her locker with a click and studying her reflection in the mirror she had attached to the door.

"Who's not your type, oh fair and beauteous one?" came a voice directly behind them.

"Wouldn't you like to know, Mido?" Malon said absently as she pulled her makeup bag from her purse and began touching up her face. Aryll, however, whirled around and grinned at the boy standing on Mido's left.

"Hey, Colin!" She said happily as her boyfriend pulled her into his arms. Mido rolled his eyes and Malon smiled.

"So," Mido began casually, "Where's Saria? I didn't see her this morning."

"She's got some art assignment to make up or something." Malon replied as she shut her locker, apparently finished with her touch ups. Malon was far more into makeup than Aryll was, but then again, Malon was a lot more attractive than Aryll considered herself, so she couldn't see why Malon needed it. It did manage to bring out the blue in her eyes and her long flowing red hair could turn heads in any hallway.

Aryll's own hair was light blonde, like her brothers, and was pulled back in two pigtails. She mainly wore her hair like that because it was simple, but also because Colin had once said that he liked it that way. Colin himself had blonde hair, but it was darker than her own, and much shorter. Where Aryll's eyes were light blue, light the sky on a sunny day, Colin's were almost gray, like the ocean early in the morning.

Mido was the oddball. His hair was a bright shade of red, almost orange, that said messily on his head and contrasted heavily with his dark green eyes. Mido and Colin were the best of friends, for reasons that Aryll didn't quite understand. Colin was quiet and sincere, where Mido was loud and obnoxious. He was also something of a flirt, and had been seeking Saria's attention since middle school.

Aryll pulled away from her boyfriend and looked him in the eye. "Speaking of missing people, where did you go this morning?"

"Ask Mido." He said with a smile. "We were headed down to see you when he suddenly had to take off for something. Where'd you go?"

Three heads turned towards Mido whose face went pale. "I, uh…had something to…take care of…" he cleared his throat roughly and said, "Never mind where I went, let's go find Saria. Besides, class starts in like, five minutes."

As their little group headed down the hallway, Aryll glanced at her watch and groaned. "I can't believe school only started like, fifty minutes ago. This day's never going to end!"

* * *

**Alright! So there you have it. Chapter three. I know it's starting slow, but I promise the action starts next chapter. Just bare with me. **

**Also, anyone who's familiar with my one-shots may have noticed certain... similarities... between this chapter and a previous story. haha, look on my profile if you have any questions or concerns, I've explained it all there.**

**Just one last thing before I go; I haven't gotten many reviews. It makes me sad. I've nearly been driven to the point of tears; manly tears, of course, but tears none the less. Come on guys, don't let me down! Even if you bash me, I wanna get some feedback. **

**Ever Zestful,  
ZC**


	4. Panic! at the High School

**Hey guys. Long time no see. I know this is a week late, but I got ridiculously ill over the weekend, and had a buttload of homework piled on me. Pre-Spring Break bliss; gotta love college. But hey, it's here now, so please try to forgive me. Anyway, I hope you like it. It's my favorite chapter thus far. Enjoy. **

**P.S. The title makes me laugh**

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* * *

  
**

**Chapter 4**

**Panic! at the High School**

Link sat staring at the flame emitted from the Bunsen burner in front of him, trying his best to appear as if he was paying attention. In truth, lab experiments in Chemistry that involved fire in any way usually managed to snag Link's attention, at least until it was time to stop playing with the flame and actually get to work, but there was something about working with a couple of strangers as lab partners because your friends hadn't shown up for class that made everything seem dull and boring.

The boy who sat across from him picked up a set of tongs and began adjusting the small ceramic dish they had set atop the flame. His name was Shad, an incredibly smart if somewhat nerdy guy who had actually volunteered to do most of the work when he and Link had been partnered together. He actually wasn't as bad as Link had originally thought; he just liked being by himself and had a slight fear of jocks.

Their last partner, sitting on Link's right, lazily flicked a rolled up piece of paper towards Link, which he failed to catch and had to bend over to pick it off the floor. Ashei and Link had been playing this game since the lab had started at the beginning of class; which, he now realized as he turned towards the clock, had only been seven minutes ago. Goddesses, but class moved slowly when Sheik and Midna weren't there to entertain him!

"We're almost done," said Shad suddenly, drawing Link out of his stupor. "I just need to calculate the amount of volume lost during the second heating period and we can all go back to out seats."

"Wow." Said Link, genuinely impressed, "you did that fast. It would have taken Sheik, Midna, and I at least another half an hour to get this stuff figured out."

"He does everything fast," said Ashei dully, "He's like some sort of super genius. I'm surprised he hasn't gone off to college yet."

Link chuckled in response, but Shad muttered something under his breath that sounded something like "my mother wouldn't let me."

As Link turned his head to look at the clock again, something in the hallway caught his attention. Two blurs streaked past the doorway, and it took him a moment to realize that they were students. Link grinned wryly as he pondered the reasons why students would go running down the hallway. _They were late, they had to pee, they blew up a toilet, the drug dogs were chasing them…_

9:04. Nine minutes since class started. Was it him, or was class moving slower?

"Come on class, get back to work. I know it's early, but you need to get this lab completed before class ends." Called Mr. Mizumi, the chemistry teacher. Mr. Mizumi was a creepy guy, and not just because he was a teacher. Approximately 100 years old (or at least that's what his student's thought) with crazily shaped white hair containing various bald spots and sporting several crooked and yellowed teeth, Mr. Mizumi was a sight to behold. But as if this wasn't enough, he stood completely bent over and nodded his head rhythmically in circular motions with his mouth hanging open as if he didn't even realize he was doing it.

As he made his rounds to check on the progress of his students, he stopped briefly at our table to admire Shad's work. "My, my. Done already, lad?" he asked, red-rimmed eyes staring vaguely in different directions.

"Yes, sir." Was all Shad said, and he carefully kept his eyes averted and pretended to be busy dismantling the equipment.

"Excellent, excellent, yes, quite good…" his voice faded off as he headed to another table. Ashei snorted as Link chuckled and Shad let loose a small grin.

Suddenly, the class went silent as a loud boom echoed from somewhere in the school and the building shook slightly.

There was a pause as the class exchanged glances, then Darmani, the football star, said loudly, "What the-"

He was cut off by another boom, this one much closer, which was coupled with a larger tremor and a few distant screams.

Mr. Mizumi rushed from the room hurriedly while another explosion went off, followed quickly by another, then another…

"What's going on? Is it an earthquake?" asked a random girl from the back.

Darmani snorted. "An earthquake? In Hyrule? I doubt it." but his grin faded as the screams grew louder. Suddenly, an entirely new sound reached their ears and finally the class began to panic.

Gunshots.

Half the class bolted for the door, while the other half dove for cover beneath the desks. Link stood up, but ran instead for the window, peering out from the second story. What he saw made his stomach curdle unpleasantly.

"Guys?" he said shakily, turning to find only a handful of students still remained in the room, "Someone blew up the doors."

"What?" Ashei screeched, running over to join Link at the window. It was true; the one exit that could be seen from the window was nothing more than a messy pile of bricks and shrapnel that smoked lazily in the morning air. The large metal awning that had been constructed to provide protection from the rain lay twisted beyond recognition over the remains, sealing off the passageway. More gunshots could be heard echoing from the school around them.

"We need to get out of here!" wailed a girl form beneath her table.

"Alright, alright! Everyone just calm down!" said Link frantically as the last of the explosions faded away, throwing the sound of gunshots into sharper relief. "We need to think of a plan."

"What's there to think about?" bellowed Darmani in response. "We get outta here before someone shoots us!"

With Darmani as their lead, all but two of the remaining students bolted for the door and disappeared into the hallway. Turning to those who stayed behind, Link was surprised to find Ashei and Shad staring at him as if awaiting instructions.

Clearing his throat roughly, Link said, "So… what should we do? We can't escape if the doors are blocked."

"We could try jumping the window." Said Ashei.

"No good," Shad replied with a panicked glance towards the door. The gunshots were getting closer. "The windows are barred. Perhaps we could try the Air ducts?"

Link couldn't help himself; glancing up at the tiny air vent on the ceiling, he replied "I don't think we're gonna fit through there."

Shad opened his mouth to respond, but Ashei cut him off. "Look, we haven't got time to sit here and talk about this! We've gotta go! Now!"

Exchanging brief glances, Shad and Link followed Ashei as she bolted for the door.

The hallway was a scene of mass chaos. Students ran screaming in every direction; some vying for the stairs, while others searched in vain for their friends. Angling to the left, they darted for the nearest staircase, which resembled mash pit for the amount of students attempting to escape.

Suddenly, a fresh wave of screams burst from the stairwell, and the students began running backward up the stairs, tripping over each other in their haste. Link seized Shad and Ashei by their arms and dove down an adjoining hallway, just in time to see someone come up the stairs with a black mask on, pointing a weapon up at the ceiling and firing off several rounds.

"What do we do?" hissed Ashei, close to tears, as the man with the gun shouted for the students to get inside the classrooms. Echoing gunshots from the opposite end of the hallway signaled yet another assailant had come from the other stairwell.

Link tried to reply, but his throat had mysteriously gone dry. Shaking his head roughly, Link attempted to quell the rising sense of panic while thinking of some way to escape. Thankfully, Shad found the answer.

Tapping Link on the shoulder, he pointed behind them to the Janitor's Closet. Giving a grateful nod, Link grabbed Ashei by the arm and together they darted to the closet and, finding it strangely unlocked, hurried inside.

Flicking on the light, Link took a moment to survey his surroundings. The closet was cramped and cluttered, various mops, buckets, and bottles of cleaner lined the room on old rusty shelves. Hearing the voices of the attackers growing closer, Link quickly locked the bolt and turned to face Shad and Ashei.

"Now what?" he whispered frantically.

"What d'you mean, 'now what'?" Ashei hissed back in frustration. "Now we wait until they find us, and kill us!"

"No!" Link spat in response. "I can't accept that! There has to be a way!"

Shad suddenly slapped his hands over their mouths, and whispered, "Shh! Listen!"

"I think I saw some run this way!" Link felt his heart leap into his throat and Ashei's eyes widened in fear.

"Are you sure? Where could they have gone?" replied the second attacker as the sound of their footsteps arrived at the beginning of their hallway.

"What do we do?" Ashei asked, and Link found his brain searching frantically for some means of escape. Once again, however, it was Shad who came to the rescue.

"Air ducts!" he replied.

"We've been over that already, you dolt!" spat Ashei in frustration. "They're too small!"

"No, look! Just above your head!"

Link glanced up and saw a large, square grate on the ceiling, just wide enough for them to fit through.

"Will it hold us?" he asked skeptically.

"Do we have a choice?" Shad countered.

Exchanging grim looks, Link and Shad each seized one of Ashei's legs and hoisted her up to the vent. In the precious seconds it took Ashei to unlatch the grate, let it swing open, and lift her torso and legs into the vent, the voices grew nearer.

"There's nothing down here, man. Come on, before Ganon busts us for not doing our job."

"You go on then, if you want to. There's a door down there, and I'm gonna go check it out."

"Suit yourself." Replied the second person, and the sound of his retreating footsteps was mingled with the ones that were slowly approaching.

Seizing Shad by the legs and displaying more strength than he knew he had, Link shoved Shad up high enough for him to grab the vent and for Ashei to help him up.

"I know you're in there." The attacker called from just outside the door. "There's no use in hiding, you have nowhere to go."

With his heart pounding in his chest, Link shoved Shad's legs up the remainder of the way into the vent.

"Let's make a deal," continued the voice, now no more than eight feet from the door as Link began his hurried ascent up the shelves, climbing them like a ladder. Reaching up, he seized Shad's awaiting hand and allowed himself to begin being pulled up.

"Either you come out now, and let me take you to one of the classrooms with everyone else, or I fire my way through this door a couple times, and drag your body out. Make your choice, you have five seconds."

Link now had his shoulders up, and was struggling with all of his might to hoist himself in after Shad and Ashei. Both of them were tugging on his sweater with all of their might.

"Five."

Link panted heavily, wiggling like a worm.

"Four."

He was sweating profusely, trying hard not to imagine what would happen when he began firing.

"Three."

Suddenly, he managed to get his knee high enough to hoist the rest of himself into the vent.

"Two."

Scooting on the dusty metallic surface of the vent, he allowed Shad to wiggle past him and replace the grate.

"One."

Bullets began slamming into the wood of the door. Splinters and bullets ricocheted around the room, sounding like a mad xylophone player every time one pinged off of a shelf. Using the cacophony as cover, the three teens began crawling for their lives away from the janitor's closet, until the noise stopped and they heard the door swing open.

The silence that followed was one of the loudest that Link had ever endured. No sound reached his ears but for the ragged breathing that echoed off of the air vent walls, just barely large enough to hold them, albeit claustrophobically, in terrifying darkness. Suddenly, horribly, as if fate had turned against them, the vent groaned under their weight.

The man fired seven shots into the vent, waited a few moments, and then left the closet. The last bullet that had fired came within 3 inches of Link's head, illuminating his petrified face with a small, circular shaft of light.

* * *

When the first explosion went off, Midna and Zelda were half way down the second floor hallway, heading towards the only stairwell that led to the third floor principal's office. Needless to say, the ensuing panic all but prevented them from reaching their destination before being engulfed in a tidal wave of terrorized students.

"Din! We're too late!" Spat Zelda as another explosion rocked the school. In some part of her mind, Midna couldn't help but wonder just how many could go off before the foundation became unstable and the whole building came down.

The depression that had consumed her senses since the discovery of Sheik's involvement in the plot to attack the school and the hidden death of his mother engulfed her once more. They had failed; the police hadn't believed that an armed gang of thirty or more students had rigged a school building with explosives without being caught, and now countless lives would pay the price. Visions of Sheik, of his face and his haunting eyes clouded her vision until Zelda snapped her out of it.

"Midna! Come on, we need to get out of here!" Zelda bellowed over the noise. Nodding numbly, they turned as one and headed for the nearest stairwell. Suddenly, the sounds of gunshots echoing from below caused and upsurge of students attempting to turn around and climb back up the stairs.

Turning on the spot, they dashed to the opposite end of the hallway, only to meet a similar sight. Panicking, they turned back towards the first stairwell, and found themselves face to face with two figures, dressed in camouflage, toting guns that were currently pointed at them.

"Hands up, or we shoot." Said one of the guys in a rather bored voice.

Eyes trained on the weapon in his hand, Midna complied, and felt Zelda do the same beside her. Swallowing stiffly, she tried to work some moisture back into her mouth, to no avail.

"Alright. Now turn around like good little girls and get inside that classroom."

Breathing erratically, Midna slowly began to comply.

"Wait." Spat the second guy. He was taller than the first, and had a slight hickish accent.

"Ain't she that girl… the gothic one we was supposed to bring up to the boss?"

Midna felt her heart skip. The boss? Ganondorf wanted her? Why? Suddenly, horrible visions began filling her head, and she felt all hope of escape evaporate.

The first shooter thought it over for a second, and then said, "All right. Blondie, you get in the classroom. Emo, come with me."

Midna gave her best attempt at an encouraging smile, but only manages some vague sort of sickly grimace. Zelda had tears in her eyes as the redneck pushed her roughly inside of a classroom and followed her in.

Taking a steadying breath, Midna turned and, being motioned to walk in front, lead the way across the hall, past the bathrooms, and into the Library.

The Library held fewer students than she had originally expected. Only about four or five sat huddled and shaking beneath a table in the corner, along with the two media aids and the one gunman sent to watch them.

"Goddesses, how many are there?" whimpered a chubby freshman that was squashed between an aid and a junior honors student. The library shooter aimed the gun at his head as a threat, and the girl on his left screamed in horror, making the shooter laugh.

Midna walked passed them like a war criminal on display. They passed the reference section, entered the computer lab, past the rows of blank monitors, and entered the last room, set up as an office for the librarian.

Midna shut her eyes tightly in preparation for what was waiting for her inside, yet the voice she heard dismissing the shooter was not the one she expected.

Wrenching her eyes open, Midna gasped in disbelief. "S-Sheik?!?"

Her sheer joy and relief at seeing him, finally, up close for the first time since she began to have suspicions had her acting before she could think. Opening her arms, she moved to embrace him, saw him move forward with similar intentions, and then suddenly the reason she was there hit her like a brick to the stomach. Halfway to him, she changed her hugging motion into a full body slap.

Sheik stumbled back with a hiss of pain; ragged hair falling into his eyes as he slumped against the wall. Midna wasn't done yet, however. Throwing her whole weight into it, she delivered a kick straight to his groin that brought him down to his knees in agony.

"M-Midna…" he gasped in pain, eyes red-rimmed and streaming, "W-wait…"

She moved again, this time to knee him in the face, but he was quicker. Drawing a gun she hadn't seen from a holster on his side, he aimed in unsteadily at her chest.

"Stop…" he whispered, panting heavily and clutching himself.

"No." she snarled back viciously, voice strangled with emotion. "I'm not afraid of you, Sheik. You know why? Cause I know you, and I know you can't shoot me. Not me."

They remained still for a moment, panting heavily while their eyes battled each other in some convoluted form of a staring contest until Sheik sighed, dropped the gun to his side, and slumped against the wall entirely.

Darting forward, Midna kicked it over to the side and crouched down beside him.

"Goddesses, you kick hard…" he mumbled bitterly, eyes trained to the floor. Midna gave him a withering look.

"Yeah, I missed you too." There was a pause, and then he slowly looked up at her.

"I'd hoped you wouldn't be here today." His eyes were hollow, as if harrowed out by some inner demon.

"I tried to stop you. I was there, this morning at the cemetery. I called the cops, but they wouldn't believe me, so we came here to tell the principal, but we were too late…" Midna's voice chocked off as she slumped against Sheik's shoulder, wracked with sobs.

"Why, Sheik?!? Why are you doing this? Hurting people, it's not like you! This isn't who you are!"

"What do you know of who I am?" he muttered bitterly.

Midna jerked back and stared at him. "I'm your friend! Your best friend, and…" she let that trail off, deciding that now was probably not the best time to be admitting that she was in love with him.

Sheik, however, continued to stare back at her with eyes devoid of warmth or emotion.

"Why didn't you tell me about your mother?" she asked quietly.

Finally, his eyes registered something: Pain. Intense, bottomless pain.

"Look, there isn't a lot of time." Sheik's voice was ragged, cutting through her even as he avoided her question. "I've made a deal with Ganondorf. He says that I can keep you safe, so long as you stay out of the way."

His pained, blood red eyes met her own. "I'm going to lock you in here."

Midna's eyes flashed dangerously. "No, you're-"

"Stop!" he said fiercely. Struggling to his feet, Sheik walked over and retrieved his gun from the floor. "You don't understand. There's nothing you can do to stop this. There are too many of them, and only one of you; you'd never stand a chance."

Midna stood in the middle of the room, arms clinging to her sides with the desperation of a drowning man. She watched, hurt, confused, scared, and betrayed as Sheik left the room.

Stopping at the door, Sheik turned slowly and said, "Keeping you safe is the only thing I have left to live for."

With a bang, the door shut behind her, and she was alone.

* * *

**So, there ya have it. Like it? Love it? Think it's the worst piece of writing yet to appear on this website, and have suggestions to make it better? Hit me up. Let me know. Seriously, I crave the reviews, and your conscious will stop nagging you. I promise... sorta... **

**Til next week. **

**Stay Zesty. **

**ZC  
**


	5. Call of Duty

**Sup guys? Miss me in the week that I've been gone? It's ok; I've missed me too. Well here ya go; chapter 5, just for you. **

**Oh yeah, sorry about the delay. I know I promised one update a week, and I've been failing at that. The good news is, I've a bunch of free time this week, so you'll get another update before the week is up. Cheers.  
**

**Chapter 5**

**Call of Duty**

Trembling, Aryll handed her phone over to their assailant before twisting around and burying her face into Colin's shoulder. She felt him slide his arm around her shoulders protectively, and she did her best to find comfort in his gesture. She, Colin, Mido, Malon, and Saria sat huddled in a corner of their Geometry classroom, trying hard not to make eye contact with the man holding the gun and collecting their cell phones, whose eyes were of a brown so dark they looked black.

Aryll didn't look up again until the sound of the door opening drew her attention. To her horror, another shooter came in, this one leading a pretty blonde girl before him. His eyes, just like his counterpart, were completely dull and devoid of emotion. Aryll shuddered and hugged Colin around the middle.

"Hey. I caught this one trying to escape. Keep her in here 'til we get some more orders." The first shooter nodded blankly, and the second, a man with a rather ridiculous redneck accent, shoved the girl roughly in the direction of their corner. She fell to her knees and slid a few feet on the dirty tile floor.

The redneck left the room without further comment, and the black-eyed man went back to wordlessly collecting cell phones. Saria reached out slowly and seized Aryll's hand in a vice grip. Swallowing shakily, Aryll took several slow breaths in an effort to slow her racing heart. Vaguely, she found herself wondering if her brother was ok.

* * *

Despite the severity of the situation, Link couldn't help but feel frustrated at the tedium of crawling through cramped Airshafts. Coated with layers of thick dust that choked his airway and littered with spiders and cockroaches, coupled with their daunting need for silence, made the way ahead slow and nerve wracking.

Due to the fact that only the main airshaft was large enough to hold them, they really could only go two directions: forward and backward. Up ahead, slowly growing nearer, they could see a small pinprick of light; hopefully, the grate that led outside.

Every so often, they came across another vent similar to the one they found in the janitors closet, and with apprehension peered through the grate in an attempt to follow the situation below. From what they could see, it looked as though the students and teachers had been herded into class rooms, each with their own personal gun toting guard.

A few feet ahead of Link, Ashei let out a short hiss.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Link whispered hurriedly, stopping his frantic crawling short, making Shad bump into him.

"Nothing," she muttered darkly, "just watch out; this vent is sharp."

Link let out a sigh of half relief, half frustration. As if being stuck in a cramped air duct in a building full of homicidal maniacs wasn't enough; he didn't know how much more stress he could take. Rolling his shoulders in an awkward attempt to alleviate some of the tension, he waited impatiently for Ashei to clamber over the grate before continuing himself.

The vent that Ashei had cut herself on was large, taking up most of the crawl space in the shaft. Spacing his arms farther apart, Link placed his hands on either side of the vent, carefully avoiding the sharp corners, and prepared to scoot his way across.

Suddenly, there was a bang from below, like a door slamming, and Link found himself looking down into the classroom.

It was a classroom similar to the others they'd passed; a bunch of frightened kids in a corner, one stereotypical black garbed gunman to watch over them. However, the banging door had apparently been caused by another gunman, this one bringing in yet another student.

"Hey," said the new gunman, in a ridiculous redneck accent, "I caught this one trying to escape. Keep her in here 'til we get some more orders." With a brutal shove, he knocked the girl to her knees and sent her skidding across the floor, her long blonde hair rippling behind her.

Link let out a loud gasp that was thankfully obscured by the sound of the redneck leaving the class below. He knew that girl! That was Zelda, the gorgeous one who'd knocked him out with a door!

Suddenly, Link found himself torn. Sure, the logical part of him was screaming for him to get out of that building as fast as possible. But the emotional teenage male side wanted to leap through that vent and rescue the 'damsel in distress', as corny as he knew it sounded.

"Link!" Shad hissed from behind him, waking him up from his stupor, "What is it? What's going on?"

"I…" Link began, deciding on the spot that the best way to help Zelda was to get the police involved so that they could handle the problem professionally, but before he could finish the sentence his eyes latched on to another blonde girl in the room below, and his blood ran cold.

"I… I see my sister…"

"You have a sister?" came Ashei's curious whisper from up front at the same time that Shad said, "Link, the best way to help her is to get out of here and get some help. There's nothing we can do."

Link, however, wasn't listening. His eyes were glued on his little sister, and he could feel sickly hot rage seeping into his belly as he watched his sister cower, pale faced and trembling, before the unknown shooter.

"Link," Shad started again, but Link cut him off.

"You two go on ahead."

"What? No-"

"Listen," he said forcefully, tearing his eyes away from Aryll to look at Ashei, who drew back slightly at the ferocity of his gaze, "It doesn't take three people to inform the police. You two go on ahead without me, I have to help my sister."

Ashei opened her mouth to argue, but closed it again with a snap. Swallowing roughly, she nodded, and turned to continue her way down the vent.

"Shad, climb over me." Link directed, laying himself flat on his stomach to allow Shad as much space as possible.

"But I-"

Link silenced him with a look over his shoulder.

Shad sighed before starting forward. The shaft was painfully small, and Link was glad that there was nobody else around to witness the terribly awkward scene, because he was sure that it looked incredibly gay.

Once Shad had managed to squeeze past Link and scoot over the vent, he turned back and offered one last sentiment.

"Link…"

Link looked back up from the vent and met his gaze levelly.

"… good luck." He finished softly, before turning and crawling after Ashei.

Link let out a shaky breath and tried to quell the growing sense of vulnerability that appeared now that he was alone. Casting his gaze around the smallish class room, he tried his best to think of a way to get to Aryll without getting caught.

Jumping straight through the vent was out of the question; he'd be shot long before his body hit the ground. He could always try to create some sort of distraction, but there was no way of knowing if it would work, or even how many shooters there were in the building. Knowing his luck, he'd be caught before the diversion could happen, and that was assuming he even found a way to make one.

New movement in the room below caught his attention, and he leaned closer to the vent to get a better look.

Once again, the door opened, revealing yet another shooter. Link was surprised to see that, though he was wearing black like the others, this one's shirt sported the logo for Faron High's flying squirrels; he had assumed that all of the shooters had been from Ordon.

The guy looked around, examining the hostages carefully, before turning to the guard and saying, "This Mrs. Marie's Geometry class?"

The guard nodded, clearly bored.

"Aight. I just got word from the superiors. I guess they's lookin' for someone. Zant's been poking his head in all the classrooms, but he's getting' all frustrated like. So, Veran had the bright idea to put all the guys in one room, an' all the girls in another. So I'm here to get all the guys, and take 'em down to the end of the hallway, then I'll be back with some girls, aight?"

The guard nodded again, uncaring.

The new guy pointed his gun at the students and barked, "Ok. All you's guys. Get up, follow me, and don't even think about tryin' nothing."

There was a sudden flurry of activity in which all of the males in the room stood, trying at once not to be the first or last to do so. Link watched Collin stand beside a red headed boy, his hand still firmly clasped in Aryll's until they all began to leave the room.

Taking a deep breath, Link heaved himself backwards and began scooting back the way he'd come. He had to find a way to get into Miss Marie's geometry class, and he had to do it fast.

_Wait for me, Aryll,_ he thought frantically. _Wait for me. I'm coming._

_

* * *

  
_

Midna sat alone in a corner of the computer lab. Fluorescent lights buzzed garishly above her, mingling with the droning of Ordona's ancient computers. Still, the noise wasn't enough to drown out the sound of her sniffles. Midna wasn't usually a weepy sort of person, but the hollowness of Sheik's eyes was haunting her, and it made her feel sick to think about what had become of her friend. Drawing her knees up to her chest, she buried her face in her arms and did her best to quell the shaking in her limbs.

A sudden clatter at the door grabbed her attention, and as she scooted to hide beneath a table, she was torn between the hope that it was Sheik coming back to explain what the heck was going on, and the fear that it was Ganondorf or another of his cronies.

The door swung open, and an older man was shoved roughly to the floor with a shrill whimper.

"Alright, old man. Just stay in here, and keep quiet. We don't need old-timers like you getting in our way." The door closed again with a bang that reverberated around the small room. The man clambered roughly to his feet and brushed off his hopelessly messy grey jumpsuit.

Puffing out his chest, he placed his arms akimbo and shouted through the door, "O-old-timer?! Just who are you calling old? I'm the great Linebeck, champion soldier of the Labrynna civil war! Captain of the famed S.S. Li-"

Through the window that connected the Computer lab to the library, Midna watched as the assailant turned back and wordless pointed the gun at him through the window. With a girly shriek of terror, Linebeck twisted around and dove beneath a table. The man laughed cruelly before turning and walking out of the library.

Slowly, Midna leaned forward and peered around the table legs at the man who now lay huddled and weeping on the floor. His graying hair, lanky and disheveled as it was, hung down below his shoulders and obscured a majority of his face, save for his nose which was a bright red.

Recognition dawning on her face, she drew herself out from behind the table and cleared her throat.

"Mr. Linebeck?"

At the sound of her voice, Linebeck let out a terrified squeak and flung his arms over his face protectively. After a moments pause, however, he shakily lowered his arms and peered in her direction.

"Goddesses!" He barked, leaping suddenly to his feet, "What is _wrong _with you, girl?! Are you _trying_ to give a conniption? I thought you were one of those crazy hooligans with the guns! My heart about died from shock!"

Midna's jaw dropped before she could catch herself.

"Me? What's wrong with you?! One second you're curled up on the floor, cowering, sniveling like a four year old, and the next you're blowing up at me!

Linebeck flushed brilliantly, but his eyes flashed as he blustered, "C-c-cowering?! I was not cowering! I was merely… uh… employing my clever skills at deception! Luring that madman with the gun into a false sense of security, giving me the upper hand when I make my move!"

Midna snorted derisively. "Make your move?! Give me a break! Tell me, oh high and mighty _Janitor_, how exactly do you plan to get out of this mess with the library swarming with shooters?"

If Linebeck's face was red before, it was purple now. His jaw was working frantically, but no sound was coming out. After a long moment he managed to say "I… haven't made it that far yet…"

Midna rolled her eyes and turned away. It was all well and good to find an outlet for all of her pent up frustration and fear, but she needed to be directing her energy towards finding an escape route, not mocking the school janitor…

Whirling around, Midna asked "Do you have any idea how many attackers are in the school?"

Linebeck sighed glumly and, slumping back against the wall, said, "No. But I know there's a lot. You could hear gunshots being fired in all directions when the attack first started. Almost all of the exits are sealed off as well. I don't think there's any-"

"Wait," Midna cut in, a sudden surge of hope blooming in her chest, "what do you mean almost every exit?"

Linebeck shuffled nervously and said, "Well, when the attack started, I was atop the bleachers in the gym, doing… ah, cleaning, and… well, I don't know if they rigged the exit in the gym and it didn't go off, or if they just overlooked it, but the door is still intact. That's where I was headed, before I was taken and dragged in here with you. The bleachers are closed, so I was taking the long way, down the stairs."

Midna sat on one of the tables and bit her lip thoughtfully. There was at least one viable exit that wasn't blocked… Now if she could only find a way out of the computer lab! If only Sheik hadn't locked the door… If only Sheik hadn't gone with Ganondorf's mad plot… If only…

With an aggravated snarl, Midna lashed out at one of the nearby monitors. With an almighty crash, the monitor toppled from the table and slammed into the grimy tiled floor, the glass shattering, shards flying in every direction.

Linebeck let out a terrified yelp, leaping back from the scattering glass with more speed than Midna would have though possible; but then, she wasn't exactly focused on Linebeck at the moment. The tiny glass shards had given her an idea.

Hopping off the table, Midna began tearing cords out of the nearest monitor.

"Linebeck! Help me!"

Linebeck stepped forward hesitantly. "Er… help you do what, exactly?"

"Look!" She panted, hefting the heavy, ancient monitor into her arms, "The windows are glass! And there's only one pane, cause we're inside! If we chuck the monitor at it, it should break! But I'm not strong enough to do it myself, so get your lazy butt over here and help me!"

Linebeck sighed, but took half of the monitor in his arms. "Alright. But just so you know, I'm not cleaning this up."

Midna grinned cheekily. "Deal. On the count of three?"

He nodded, then turned toward the window with determination. Something was tickling the back of her mind, like she was forgetting something… but she pushed it aside and focused on getting to Sheik then escaping.

"One… Two… Three!"

With twin grunts, the two sent the monitor sailing through the air, and through the window. Cracks spider webbed along the window from where the monitor struck it, almost faster than the eye can see, and as the momentum carried the hefty piece of outdated machinery through, shards of glass showered down like rain on the tiled floor.

Midna let out a cry of triumph and darted forward, kicking the last shards of glass out of the pane before climbing over it and into the library. A moment later, the crunch of glass behind her told her Linebeck had followed.

"Ok," she said, suddenly all business, "Let's get out of this goddess-forsaken place. You said the gym, right?"

There was no response behind her.

"Linebeck?" Midna turned around… and felt her stomach drop out.

There was still one gunman in the library. Of course… that's what she'd forgotten. She'd walked past him on the way in… How could she be so stupid?!

His gun was pointed squarely at Linebeck's chest as he slowly advanced forward. A deep, cruel laugh bubbled up from within him as he watched Minda's face go pale.

"Bravo," he boomed, his voice large and loud, perfect for his frame. Midna recognized him; Onox, a surly, demented boy who it was rumored skinned animals alive for the fun of it when he was little.

"Bravo," he repeated, still chuckling, "What an ingenious way to escape a room. Surely, who would have ever thought of breaking a window." All mock laughter suddenly vanished from his face as he spat, contemptibly, "What? Did you think we weren't going to leave you two guarded? That we'd just leave all of these students alone to run amok? You two are truly stupider than you look, and that's saying a lot for the janitor."

Midna's breathing had become erratic. Normally, she'd have verbally and physically assaulted anybody who called her stupid, but in this moment she couldn't help but agree with him. She had been stupid to forget about the gunman. And now her stupidity was going to cost her her life… and Linebeck's as well.

"Now. Both of you, over here. If I'm going to have to kill you, I'd like to do it in full view of the others that are stuck in here with me. To… dissuade… any others who may be thinking of escape." He laughed again, but this time it held no mirth.

She complied, albeit slowly. Her legs seemed to have turned to jelly. She heard rather than saw Linebeck following her, her own eyes unable to focus on anything other than Onox's gun until he had them positioned appropriately, about ten feet in front of the huddled little group she'd walked by earlier. Directly above her, a vent gently blew conditioned air over her hair, sending strands flying in every direction.

"Curse the goddesses," Onox said softly, leveling the gun at her head, "for they've surely abandoned you." Linebeck sagged to his knees beside her, but Midna paid him no mind. Closing her eyes, she tried to fix Sheik's image in her mind and feel the air gently playing against her skin…

The ceiling above her groaned ominously, and Midna's eyes snapped open. Every head in the room looked up simultaneously at the ceiling. There was nothing to see at first, then suddenly a section of the ceiling collapsed, bits of ceiling tile, insulation, and what looked like a large rectangular section of the air vent falling with a tremendous crash… directly on top of Onox.

Midna couldn't move. The scene before her was too impossible to believe. She had been about to die; surely, she was now dead. There was no possible way that a chunk of the ceiling had just decided to fall down at that moment to spare her.

From the gaping hole now in the ceiling, a face appeared, filthy and covered in dust.

"Ashei? Ashei?! Are you alright?!"

A groan emanated from the pile of rubble on the floor, and Minda felt panic begin to well within her again until a figure crawled out of the twisted section of the air vent. It was a girl, about her age, with short black hair and an athletic build, and who was every bit as dust covered as the boy in the ceiling.

She coughed roughly, stumbled to her feet, then slowly took in her surroundings.

"Well…" She began slowly, "So much for crawling our way outta here."

With a squawk, the dusty boy from the ceiling lost his balance and fell to the ground, landing with a grunt atop the pile of rubble.

Suddenly, the reality of what had just happened hit her. She'd nearly been killed, and had been saved impossibly at the last moment. Hugging her arms, she sank slowly to her knees and tried to stem the sudden tears of relief that burst from her eyes.

* * *

**Alright, there it is. Honestly, I don't think it's the best example of my writing, but I was rushed to get it to you guys because I missed my promised deadline. Please, find it within your hearts to forgive me...**

**Haha anyway. Drop me a review, let me know what's up. Predictions? Complaints about the story? ...Complaints about me asking for reviews? Or, heaven forbid, a compliment? hahaha, don't care, just tell me. **

**Until next time, my fellow Zelda lovers. Stay Zesty. **

**ZC  
**


	6. Hero

**Alright guys... here it goes... I'm sorry. I know I promised an update a week after the last chapter, but... well, quite honestly, my life is far from predictable. What with school, finals, working two jobs... I find I don't have a lot of time to write. So, from here on out, just trust that I'm going to update... eventually. I'll shoot for once a week, but it might not always happen. Thanks for sticking with me, though. It means a lot. **

**On a lighter note, I have an update! All you people who thought I gave up on this feel pretty stupid now, don't you? Hahaha. Ok. Enough from me, enjoy the chapter. **

**Warning: Just as a heads up, things get a little more... graphic... from here on out. I'm not talking Saw or anything, but there is blood. It's not so bad in this chapter, but just so you know.  
**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**Hero**

Ganondorf sat stoically, fingers steepled before his face in thought as he contemplated the man kneeling on the floor before him. The assault had begun no more than twenty minutes ago, but things were already starting to go wrong. Two of the charges, so carefully placed, had failed to go off, and a large number of students had been able to escape, drastically limiting the amount of national attention he'd be able to draw with this little stunt. What's more, he hadn't yet been able to locate Hero, and he was essential to his plans.

_Hero_, Ganondorf mused, _what a fitting name_.

Ganondorf had made it a point to claimed the Principal's office as his own lair, not only because it was the highest point in the school, but because it held a certain air of authority, and most importantly, the windows had blinds, which he closed so that he couldn't get sniped by a cocky police officer trying to save the students from their inevitable fate. Despite the setbacks, he still had approximately 200 students trapped in various classes on the second floor. That many students ought to be enough to satisfy his needs, if he could only find Hero…

A sudden crackling noise drew his attention back to the man on the floor.

Viscen's hand had jerked towards his belt at the sound of the noise, having momentarily forgotten that his arms were bound behind his back. The Resource Officer had maintained a look of self-righteous dignity since the moment of his capture, much to his credit, and hadn't made a sound since Ganondorf had made an example of Principal Sahasrahla. His body had been left with the secretary and the vice principle, both of whom were still under close watch just down the hall.

Nodding briefly at Vaati, Ganondorf waited till the small plastic radio was in his hand before addressing Officer Viscen.

"Well… What have we here, Officer? Your little toy is on the wrong frequency."

With a swift wrenching movement of his wrist, Ganondorf twisted the little dial clockwise until suddenly, a voice blared out.

"Viscen?! Viscen, come in! We need a status report, man! What the blazes is going on in there?!"

Ganondorf felt a twisted, demonic smile growing slowly on his face. Raising the walkie-talkie up to his face, he pressed the small black button on the side and said, calmly, "My apologies. Officer Viscen is currently… indisposed."

"What the-? Who the heck-"

There was a pause, in which a muffled commotion could be heard on the other line. Ganondorf's grin grew wider.

With a crackle of static, a new voice began emitting from the walkie-talkie.

"Hello there. This is Rusl Smith, the chief of police speaking. But you can call me Rusl. What's your name?"

Ganondorf scoffed at the walkie-talkie. He knew what this man, Rusl, was up to. It was a well known tactic; first, make the assailant feel at ease. Then begin making 'deals' to release hostages. He felt a twisted smirk begin to form on his face. There would be no deal making… but Rusl Smith could still be used to further his plan.

"My name is Ganondorf."

"Ganondorf, eh? Have you got a last name to go along with that? It's only fair; I gave you mine, after all."

Ganondorf felt his smile turn malicious. The man's tone was carefully friendly and at ease… It was time to change that.

"You did. Smith, was it? Yes… I believe I just met your son, Smith."

There was a pause, in which nothing but the crackle of the static could be heard. Then…

"…You must have been mistaken."

Ganondorf laughed cruelly, making sure the button was pressed on the Walkie-Talkie so that Rusl heard him, "I can understand wanting to deny that he's your child. A rather cowardly runt, isn't he?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have a child, Ganondorf."

Rusl's tone was still carefully light and care-free, but there was a definite shakiness to it. Good… now that he had his attention, it was time to grab the nation's.

"Say what you will, Smith. It's of no matter. I have another acquaintance of yours with me… Say hello, Officer Viscen."

Viscen stared back at Ganondorf stoically, much to his credit, his eyes full of contempt but still without making a sound.

"Speak. Or do I need to make an example of the secretary next?" Ganondorf said softly.

Viscen swallowed roughly, then said, into the Walkie-Talkie, "…This is Officer Viscen."

"Very good, Viscen. Now say good bye."

He didn't give him time to respond. The distinct yell that emanated from the Walkie-Talkie was cut short by the miniature explosion that came from Ganondorf's gun. Viscen, his eyes frozen wide in shock, looked down at the red stain forming on his otherwise spotless uniform before sagging forward on the floor. He didn't move again.

"Heed me." Said Ganondorf darkly, drawing the little metal box closer to his mouth, "For too long has this country sat idle, ignorant of its once great past and the power it could have had. For too long have we forgotten the traditions of our fathers, and the ways of old. No longer will I stand by and allow this degradation to continue. Like the powerful before me, I will remake this country, and restore its original grandeur. My name is Ganondorf, and soon the world will know my name."

In one swift movement, he raised the Walkie-Talkie into the air and brought it down forcefully on the corner of the desk, breaking the object in half.

* * *

Panting heavily, Link willed himself to move faster as he hurriedly scooted himself along the narrow passage. He wasn't sure how long he had; only a few moments earlier, he'd heard a distant crash echoing from the far end of the air vent, the direction Shad and Ashei had gone. Assuming they'd made it to the end and were even now getting the police, Link had put them from his mind and was hurrying as fast as he could. Someone must have heard the crash, which meant someone was going to come investigate the vents. He needed to find an empty classroom to escape in, fast, so he could get to Aryll.

At the thought of his sister, a bitter pang erupted in his chest that he viscously fought down. There was no time to worry about what might have happened; he needed to focus on getting out of the vent without being caught.

After a few more uncomfortable moments, he arrived at the next grate. Peering through the slits in the vent, he stifled another groan.

Full. Again.

Just as he was about to press on, something caught his eye. Leaning in closer, Link tried his best to angle himself to get a better view of the classroom below. There was some sort of commotion going on; a vast majority of the thirty or so students had suddenly decided to relocate to the far side of the classroom, leaving three figures alone on the side just below Link's vent.

He could hear frantic, terrified sobbing. Leaning in further, so that his face was pressed against the grate, Link strained to hear what was going on.

"…orry! I-I'm so s-sorry! P-P-Please!"

The owner of the voice, a girl, moved herself behind the large, imposing second figure as they backed slowly toward the window, away from the third, who was unsteadily advancing on them, his arm trembling, the gun wobbling dangerously in his slackened grip.

"Look, man," Said the large figure, and suddenly Link recognized him; Darunia, the school's quarterback.

"Look, just calm down. We've all been there, man. She's not the only one who does it. We've all been turned down by girls before-"

"Shut up!" the boy with the screamed, desperation evident in his strangled voice. "What would you know? When have you ever been turned down by a girl, Darunia? You… All of you, you all think you're so perfect! So much better than the rest of us because you're more attractive, or more athletic! You're SICK!"

The girl, who Link now realized was Ruto, the cheerleading captain, let out a frightened squeak, still sobbing behind Darunia's back.

"You're right!" Said Darunia, casting his arms out in either direction protectively as though he were stopping a charge at a football game and not a bullet. "You're right… But… Please. If you've got to shoot someone, shoot me… Just let her go, man…"

Ruto's arms suddenly snaked around Darunia's middle, holding him tightly as she choked out "N-No! Darunia-"

"ENOUGH!" the boy roared, and the rest of the class leapt back in fear. He stepped forward, directly beneath Link's grate, the gently blow of the air conditioner playing with his lanky blonde hair as he stared down his gun at Darunia and Ruto, sniveling pathetically.

"I asked something of her, and she turned me down." His voice sounding for all the world like a petulant child, his gun arm still trembling violently. "Now, she asks something of me. Karma… It always gets you in the end…"

Link moved without thinking. Placing his hands on either side of the vent, he hoisted his feet up beneath him and, mustering all of his strength, kicked downward with both legs.

There was a tortured screech as the metal tore free from its hinges, sending Link and the grate careening down from the ceiling. The grate struck the boy first, right as he pulled the trigger, knocking the bullet off course and sending it through the window. A split second later, Link crashed on top of the vent, their weight together knocking the assailant to the floor.

Link struck the ground on his back and was momentarily winded. His body aching, he struggled in vain for a moment to regain his footing, but before he could fully make it, he realized that there was no need to hurry; the shooter had been knocked unconscious by the force of the blow.

Still gasping for breath, Link slumped backwards against the wall, nursing his left shoulder. The only thought running through his head was '_Stupid, stupid stupid!' _What in the world was he doing? He could've been killed! He could have died! And then who would've saved Aryll? Opening his eyes, he realized that the entire class was staring at him, stunned.

"H-Hero?!" Darunia exclaimed, shock and disbelief evident on his face.

"Aw shucks, Darunia. You don't have to go and call me that!" Link said before he could catch himself.

The quarterback gave him an odd look, as though not quite understanding what he'd said, before deciding to ignore it and instead ask, "…Where did you come from?"

"Air vent." He replied, finally managing to stagger to his feet, stretching his body in an attempt to alleviate some of the tension he'd received from crawling around the cramped air shaft. His hip was killing him from having landed on it wrong.

There was a pause in which Darunia and Link simply stared at one another, then suddenly all of the tension in the room seemed to vanish. The students in the corner began moving again, albeit shakily, and Ruto peeked her head around Darunia's shoulder.

"Like… Oh my Din…" She said, tears still streaming down her face as she darted around the quarterback and seized Link's hands in her own, "You just, like, totally saved our lives! You really are a hero!"

"What? No, no, no!" Link said hastily, surprised at her eagerness. He pulled his hands away from the cheerleader's, trying hard not to let any disgust show on his face. "Darunia wasn't saying I was a hero; that's my name. Link Hero, remember? We were in 4th grade together?"

"She's right, Hero." Darunia said, stepping up beside him. "You just saved our lives. That makes you a hero. Kinda ironic, isn't it?" He chuckled good naturedly, giving Link the first smile he'd seen from him since Junior High.

_No_, Link wanted to say, _that doesn't make me anything. I was just doing what any normal person would have done in my situation_, but before he could open his mouth, the shooter stirred with a soft groan.

It was as though someone had flipped a switch and turned the tension back on. Everyone suddenly seemed to remember where they were and what was going on just outside the classroom. Memories of Aryll trapped in the classroom brought Link back to reality with an unpleasant bump.

Steeling himself for what he had to do, he began issuing orders to the milling mass of panicky students.

"Guys! We need to tie this guy up and hide him in the closet. Use belts or backpack straps or whatever you've got on you. Also, make sure you gag him."

The class obeyed him instantly, converging forward on the still unconscious assailant, tying him up perhaps a bit rougher than was strictly necessary.

"Darunia," Link said, noticing the gun that had fallen forgotten to the floor and picking it up, "Take this."

Darunia eyed it apprehensively, but nodded.

"I'm not sure exactly where, but there's gotta be an exit somewhere. Take the gun and get these kids out of-"

"Wait, what? What about you?" Ruto's voice chimed in. Her crying had stopped, but she was still puffy eyed and clinging to Darunia's arm for support. Her mascara had smeared, giving her the appearance of a disheveled raccoon.

Link took a deep breath. "I can't leave yet. I have to find my sister."

Ruto looked at him incredulously, but Darunia seemed to understand. Clapping Link on the shoulder, he said, "Good luck, Hero. But are you sure you don't want the gun?"

"No," He replied, though deep down he wanted to say yes… Though admittedly he didn't even know how to use the thing. "You need it more. You've got thirty students to protect."

Darunia nodded grimly.

"Alright!" He suddenly barked, turning his attention to the room at large once again. The students jumped. "You heard the man. Check that the coast is clear, then let's move out. To the nearest staircase, then let's see if we can't get out through the backdoor of the kitchen. I doubt they blocked that."

The door swung open and, after a brief pause to check the halls, the students began hurrying out of the classroom. Darunia, Ruto, and Link were the last to leave. Ruto headed off after the students, but Darunia paused momentarily and turned to Link.

"Hey, Hero!"

Link stopped, and met Darunia's gaze head on.

"…Don't get yourself killed." With a smirk, Darunia turned and jogged off after his girlfriend. Link forced a smile and headed in the opposite direction.

* * *

Aryll did her best to put on a brave face. Most of the girls in the classroom had long since dissolved into teary puddles, including Malon. She, Malon, and Saria, who was silently hugging her knees to her chest, sat in the back of the room, partially hidden behind a rather flimsy table. Not that the protection mattered; the shooter, having decided that going on a homicidal rampage was too dull to attract his interest, had long since seated himself in Ms. Marie's office chair, propped his feet up, and begun flipping through the few channels that the classroom's standard issue T.V. could support. Many of the students had seized this opportunity and broke out into fearful, whispered conversations.

Aryll reached over, clasping both Saria and Malon's hands.

"Hey, it's alright. We're gonna get through this. Come on…" The only response she got was a feeble sniff from Malon. Saria continued to stare at the wall blankly.

Sighing despondently, Aryll let her gaze wander the classroom. Since the attacker had changed the T.V. channel and taken their cell phones, Aryll had no way of knowing what time it was.

She wished he'd turn the station to the news… Aryll couldn't help but wonder how much the outside world knew about their predicament. _I wonder if grandma knows…_ That thought was enough to send Aryll spiraling deeper into depression. She and Link were all that their grandma had left in this world; Grandpa had died just before Grandma decided to move back to Hyrule from the Waker Islands, and had taken in Aryll and Link when their parents had died. She was such a sweet, fragile old woman… If anything happened to Aryll or Link, grandma might not be able to bare it.

_Link… _Aryll felt tears begin to sting her eyes, and she sniffed despite herself. _Link, you'd better be safe… for grandma's sake…_

"Hey now, you can't start crying too."

Aryll jumped. Twisting around, she was surprised to find that the voice belonged to a kind looking red headed girl who she didn't recognize, though she looked to be a senior. She was sitting almost directly behind her, smiling at her sweetly, her hand gently grasping another that belonged to a blue haired girl sitting on her left who was facing the wall, her face hidden behind her long, tangled locks.

"I… I'm sorry?" Aryll asked, trying desperately to regain control of herself.

"You need to stay strong. It's just like you said; we're going to be alright. Here, would you like to hold my hand?"

Aryll was stunned. There they were, in the middle of a life or death crisis, and this girl was concerned about the well being of a complete stranger.

"N-No, thank you." Aryll stammered, "I'm sorry, I don't know your name."

"Anju Pots." the girl said sweetly. "And you are?"

"Aryll Hero. Thank you… for caring, I mean." Aryll flushed slightly, embarrassed, but Anju just beamed. The blue haired girl shifted uncomfortably.

"Excuse me," Anju said suddenly, leaning forward to address the girl in front of them. The girl looked up in shock, clearly surprised, as Aryll had been, that a stranger was speaking to her.

"Um… Y-Yes?" she replied, and Aryll suddenly recognized her as the girl that had been brought in just before the gunner took Collin and the other boys away. Now that she could get a better look at her, Aryll realized that the girl was actually quite pretty.

"Do you need a band aid? You're bleeding," Anju said, motioning toward the girl's knee, which sported a nasty looking cut she no doubt received from being sent sliding across the floor.

The girl looked down and seemed to notice the blood for the first time. Before she could answer yes or no, Anju had already begun rooting around through her purse.

The blue haired figure chuckled. "Forgive her. Anju cares more about others than she does for herself. She's really quite selfless."

Aryll's mouth dropped open in shock as the blue haired figure turned toward the little group.

It was a _guy. _

Aryll and the pretty blonde gaped, astonished, but Anju merely said, "You give me too much credit, Kafei."

"I don't give you near enough credit," he replied sweetly, his surprisingly suave voice muted to a whisper as he reached over to tuck a stray strand of hair behind Anju's ear. Anju flushed prettily.

"W-wait! You're a guy? How did they not take you along with everyone else?" Aryll asked, stunned.

Kafei flashed her a charming smile, his eyes twinkling merrily as he said, "Sometimes, it pays to have girly hair."

Anju chuckled. Aryll would have laughed too if she wasn't trying to stop herself from swooning. _Stop it_, she chided herself. _You have an amazing boyfriend. And besides, he looks taken._

"Ah ha!" Anju whispered triumphantly, drawing from the depths of her purse a colorful Power Ranger's band-aid.

"I'm sorry," Kafei said while Anju leaned over to place the band-aid on the blonde's knee, "I don't know either of your names. I'm Kafei Dotour; the Mayor's son."

Aryll smiled back at him. "I'm Aryll Hero."

"I'm- ow!" the blonde stopped as Anju leaned firmly placed the band-aid on her knee.

"Sorry!" Anju whispered meekly, leaning back.

"No, you're fine. Thank you." The blonde said, looking up and smiling at Anju. "I'm Zelda Nohanson. I just moved here. This is my second day."

"Oh, you poor dear!" Anju said.

Zelda smiled back and said, "Well… things couldn't have gotten much worse, I guess. First I knock out this really cute guy with a door, then my car gets totaled this morning, and now…"

She sighed despondently.

"Cute guy?" Anju asked, trying to change the subject to something lighter, "Did you get his name?"

Zelda blushed slightly. "His name's Link. But he probably thinks I'm a total freak…"

Aryll blinked. "You think my brother's cute? Wait, you knocked him out with a door?!"

Zelda looked mortified. "Y-Your brother? He's… Oh Nayru, I'm so sorry! I really didn't mean to hit him, he just-"

But Aryll's sudden laughter cut her off. "No really, it's fine. I just wish I'd been there to see it!"

"Keep it down, or I'll silence you permanently." The shooter's voice rang out, still holding no more emotion than it had when he was collecting phones.

The girls and Kafei exchanged ominous looks before deciding to keep quite for a while.

* * *

Rusl slid his sleek cell phone shut and rubbed his hands over his face wearily. He'd just gotten back to the high school, and it seemed that nothing had changed since he'd left… which is what he'd just been trying to tell his wife. Uli was terrified for their son, and who could blame her? He was terrified too… but he couldn't let it show. He had a job to do.

Getting out of his car, Rusl swiftly adopted his no-nonsense look and briskly strode over to their makeshift command center. Glancing up, Officer Dobson hailed him from behind an ambulance.

"Chief… how did it go?" He asked softly.

Rusl looked down despite his resolve to look calm and in control. "…as well as could be expected."

Dobson nodded morosely. He understood; one of the hardest things to do was to inform the wife of a friend that she was now a widow.

Rusl swallowed, then said, "When this is over, I may send you over there to check on her."

Dobson nodded. Clearing his throat roughly, Rusl clapped his hands, signaling that it was time to get back to business.

"Alright, now… There's still been no word from that Ganondorf kid?"

"No sir," Said Dobson as they both turned and began striding along the circumference of the caution tape barrier that surrounded the school. "The latest count shows there are anywhere from one-hundred-and-fifty to two-hundred hostages still inside the building."

"Alright. Do we have snipers in position?"

"Yes, sir. But we have no way of knowing where Ganondorf is located, nor exactly how many shooters there are. The numbers we've been getting from the kids who made it out seem unreal."

Rusl nodded slowly, trying desperately not to think about his own son who was still trapped inside.

"Have there been any deaths reported?"

"Of students, no… though a few say that they saw some teacher get shot, though how many were fatally wounded it's difficult to say."

"Alright. Has there been any luck hacking the security system so we can see what's going on in there?"

Dobson sighed wearily. "No sir. We've been trying, but it seems that someone has blocked the access channel. The cameras are still on, but their being controlled from within the school."

"In that case, we'll need to consider cutting the power to the building," Rusl began, but stopped suddenly as a voice suddenly emitted from his Walkie-talkie.

"Chief! We have movement! From the back of the school, by the cafeteria! There are students escaping!"

Rusl and Dobson exchanged surprised looks before breaking into a run.

The back of the school was a flurry of activity when they arrived. It looked as though someone had kicked an anthill. Ambulance sirens were wailing, lights flashing as the EMT's began promptly looking over the students, who were surrounded by a mass of cops interrogating the students for any information they could gain. There were maybe thirty or so students, all looking bedraggled and exhausted, a few having burst relieved tears after finally getting out.

Rusl found his eyes scanning the crowd, yearning for some glimpse of his son… His heart plummeted when he realized he wasn't there. Sighing, he reached out and grabbed an officer at random, demanding to know how these students got out.

"I-I don't know sir, I just arrived here myself! But," he said quickly as a vein began to throb in Rusl's temple, "They're all saying something about being saved. It looks to me like the quarterback was the one who led them out of the building."

Rusl nodded and clapped the man lightly on the shoulder. "And where is he?'

"O-Over there, with the cheerleader." he said, gesturing to a small huddle of officers who were trying vainly to shield the students from a wave of reporters that were calling questions from the streets.

Striding forward, Rusl tapped the boy on the shoulder and asked to speak with him in private. The boy, rather large and imposing as he was, nodded grimly and set off with Rusl behind a fire truck.

Clearing his throat, Rusl opened his mouth to speak, but the boy cut him off.

"I think you should take this." he said, reaching his hand into his waistband and drawing out a small handgun.

Rusl stared at it in surprise. "Well. So I take it you're the young man who led these students to safety. You should be very proud of yourself; everyone's calling you a hero. How in the world did you manage to take a gun away from one of the shooters?"

The boy shrugged. "It wasn't me. And I didn't do anything special. I didn't even have to fire it. We didn't see anybody on the way out."

Rusl studied the boy momentarily. So many question… but which to ask first?

He decided that could wait for a moment. Putting his arm around the boy's shoulder, Rusl began leading him away.

"What's your name, son? We should contact your parents, to let them know you're safe."

"Darunia," the boy said. "But there's something I should tell you. I didn't disarm the shooter. I'm not the hero the students are all talking about."

Rusl looked at the boy oddly. Modesty? From the star of the football team?

"So… who did?"

"Hero. Link Hero. He saved my life. He saved all of our lives. If it's possible, I'd like to talk to his family, to let them know what he did for me. He was the one who gave me the gun, and told me to guide the students out."

Rusl was stunned. "He… Why didn't he come with you?"

Darunia sighed. "He said he needed to find his sister. I knew better than to try to talk him out of it."

"His sister…"

"Aryll Hero." Said a preppy cheerleader, walking forward and taking Darunia's hand. "That's her name. We have History together."

Rusl stopped dead.

"What's wrong?" asked Darunia, giving Rusl a queer look. "What, do you know her or something?"

Rusl sighed wearily. Uli wasn't going to like this… and it looked as though he had one more phone call to make.

* * *

**Alright. So there you have it. Long, wasn't it? I think that's my longest chapter so far. **

**Personally, I feel it could have been better, but I wanted to hurry and get it to you before I had to go to work. Plus... I want to write the next chapter, haha. Things get more interesting. Look forward to it. **

**Alright, you guys know the drill. Reviews... they keep authors alive. So donate some, for the good of the world.  
**


	7. Setting the Stage

**Alright, here we go: Chapter #7. True, it's a few days late of my intended weekly update, but I hope you can forgive me. After all, it's better than the month long waif for the last chapter.  
**

**I intentionally put it off a day or two so that I could do a little revision. Personally, I was not at all happy with the way the last chapter turned out, mostly because I was rushed trying to submit it to prove to you all that I was still here, and was not dropping this story. I fully intend to go back and revise that chapter when this is all over and done with, so until then, please accept my apology. **

**Now enough of my rambling. Enjoy the story.

* * *

  
**

**Chapter 7**

**Setting the Stage**

"M-My Lord, it's not what you think-"

"Oh? So you're telling me that that five minutes ago, thirty students did not just escape from captivity, thereby limiting the amount of influence I have over current affairs?" Ganondorf's voice was soft, his tone almost carefree.

Sakon flinched as though struck and cowered back, turning his pasty face from Ganondorf's ominous form. Even with his back to them, facing the window, he was truly a terrifying figure.

"T-They did, my Lord… B-But the fault was not-"

"I don't care whose fault it was!" Ganondorf snarled viciously, turning finally and fixing Sakon and Sheik with a thunderous look. "I've already sent Vaati and Zant to double check our perimeter and the remaining hostages, to ensure this incompetence doesn't upset my plans."

At this, Sheik glanced at Sakon with barely suppressed annoyance. The kid was practically quivering… Why had Ganondorf brought him on, anyway?

The Boss had apparently noticed it, too. Sneering at Sakon, he spat out derisively, "Careful, Sakon. You may need a fresh pair of pants."

Sheik snickered in spite of himself, and Ganon immediately turned his attention to him.

"Is there something funny about thirty of my victims escaping?" Ganondorf growled. Sheik felt as though his grin had been slapped off of his face. Bitterly, he cleared his throat and tried to affix a 'no- nonsense' look on his face.

"I didn't think so." Turning his back to them once again, Ganondorf contemplated the narrow shafts of light that pierced through the blinds of the Main Office's third story windows. "It's just as Aghanim said, I suppose… 'Any battle strategy is only good until the first arrow fires.'"

Sakon and Sheik exchanged uneasy looks. There it was again; he'd mentioned Aghanim. Sheik knew from eavesdropping on whispered conversations that Aghanim was one of the councilors at the juvenile detention center where Ganondorf had been held. Apparently, the man was nuttier than squirrel pooh, and was obsessed with Hylian lore. His teachings seemed to have had a profound impact on Ganondorf, who revered him as a scholar and a sage. But what was it that he taught Ganondorf that had influenced his decision to attack the school?

"If I am to claim Power…" Sheik thought her heard Ganondorf mumble to himself, and he leaned forward in an attempt to hopefully catch some snippet of his true plan, but suddenly Ganondorf whirled about again and smiled thinly at the two boys who stood before him.

"If we are to ensure that this… mistake… does not upend us, then we must make haste. Sakon," The sweaty, trembling boy jumped and hastily stepped forward, dry washing his hands. "Go, search the students again. You remember what that boy told us; Aryll Hero is here. Bring her to me at once."

Sheik didn't even have time to ponder what boy Ganondorf was talking about before he felt something painful grip his chest. Opening his mouth in what he knew was a futile attempt to argue, to somehow try and save the little girl he knew so well, he was cut off by yet another piercing gaze from Ganondorf.

"And you, Sheik… You remember our deal. I promised you one could live, and you made your decision. Go, bring her here, and lock her up with the other surviving faculty. I've been busy setting up the security cameras, and their almost online. Our moment is soon, Gentlemen. Let's not waste it."

Wordlessly, the two youths turned on their heels and fled from the room, both pale and shaky. But where Sakon's was from awe of Ganondorf, Sheik's was entirely different. He felt sick. The reality of Ganondorf's plan was finally catching up to him… and he didn't like it one bit.

* * *

Midna sat completely motionless, aside from the occasional shiver, in one of the many stiff, uncomfortable chairs that were positioned in small clusters around the library. She supposed she was in shock; after all, it's not everyday a madman points a gun at your head and you're rescued at the last minute by a pair of teens falling through the ceiling.

She felt as though the scene before her was being witnessed by another person; Ashei and Shad were dragging the bits of ceiling plaster and twisted air vent into the computer lab where Midna and Linebeck had been imprisoned only minutes earlier. Onox's body had also been unceremoniously dumped in the lab; the force of the blow he received from a large piece of metal weighed down by a human body seemed to have been too much for his neck to take. He had been dead before his body hit the floor.

Dead…

Midna shuddered involuntarily, fighting the bile that rose in her throat, and for the first time since sitting down she felt herself blink. Letting out a shaky breath, she rubbed her arms in an attempt to fight off the sudden chill. Despite the fact that he'd been about to kill her, she couldn't bring herself to be glad or even relieved that Onox had been killed.

_He was just a kid… _she thought, bitterly. _Even if he was a homicidal monster, he was so young… _

"Hey kid, you alright?"

Midna jerked back in shock, suddenly realized that Linebeck was standing right in front of her chair.

"W-What?" She stammered, meeting his shrewd gaze fearfully. "Y-Yeah. I'm fine. I'm…"

She let out another shaky breath, her eyes dropping to the floor, and Linebeck sighed.

"Listen kid," he said, his voice taking on an uncharacteristically gentle tone, "I know what you're feeling. That was a really traumatizing experience back there, so it's normal to feel a little shocked. But you need to perk up!"

At this, Midna glanced back up at the graying janitor, and he flashed her his most charming smile.

"After all, you're with the great Linebeck! What could possibly go wrong?"

Despite her current psychological state, Midna felt her jaw drop.

"'The Great Linebeck?'" she all but screeched, jumping to her feet in outrage. "What's so 'great' about you? You haven't done anything useful this entire time!"

"E-Excuse me?!" Linebeck squawked indignantly, his face turning red to match his nose.

"You heard me! Who was it who was sniveling on the ground like a little girl?! You're a coward! You're a pathetic, useless excuse for a human being, and I-"

A sudden quiet cough to her side drew both her and Linebeck's attention.

"Er… not to be rude, but could we please settle this another time? We're sort of in a time crunch." Said Shad matter-of-factly, pushing his glasses up the slope of his nose with one finger, causing them to flash briefly with reflected light. Ashei, standing just beside him, smirked.

"Right… sorry…" Midna said, abashed.

Glancing over his shoulder, Linebeck said, his tone still gruff from having been verbally assaulted, "Hey. Where'd those kids and that smokin' media aid go?"

Midna glanced toward the far end of the room in surprise only to find it empty. She, Linebeck, Shad, and Ashei were the only ones in the library.

"Huh. I guess they must've dashed once I clobbered Onox." Said Ashei, sounding more than a little annoyed. "They could have at least waited for us."

"Are they really what's important right now?" Shad butt in, cutting off the conversation once again. "We need to be finding a way out of here. So come on, let's get out of here."

"Brilliant plan, Ginger." Ashei spat impatiently. "Just where exactly do you plan on going? Cause I dunno about you, but I don't really feel like running around a school full of psycho's with guns, hoping to find an exit."

Shad scowled at her angrily, but it was Linebeck who answered. "Well, like I was just telling the Goth here before we were so rudely interrupted by senior psychopath, I just so happen to know of an exit that's still intact."

"You do?" Said Ashei and Shad, doubt and incredulity as apparent in their tones as it was on their faces.

"Yup! Looks like its good ol' Linebeck to the rescue again! Just follow me, kiddies. I'll get you to the gym in no time!"

Linebeck's grin seemed to be infectious, and Shad and Ashei quickly followed suit. As their motley crew began heading towards the door, Midna glanced back at the computer lab's shattered window, and came to a decision.

She couldn't leave yet. She had to find Sheik.

As Linebeck began to open the door, Midna opened her mouth to announce her intentions, but before she could speak another voice from the hallway cut her off.

"I don't like this one bit, V."

Midna's blood turned to ice as she recognized the high pitched, childish voice. Frantically, she snagged her companions arms and tugged them to the ground, below the door's small, rectangular window. From the hallway, another voice answered the first.

"Stop whining, Zant. Keep obeying orders, and you'll get your chance. Oh, and don't call me V."

"What's wrong, Vaati?" Zant said, mockingly. "Don't like your little nickname? Would you rather I go back to calling you purple?"

Just in front of their door, Midna heard their footsteps stop and her heart leapt into her throat. Shad's face had paled drastically, and Linebeck was chewing his nails with reckless abandon. Vaati let out an annoyed sigh.

"Look, stop taking this out on me. Just because Ganondorf won't let you go on a shooting rampage doesn't mean you get to vent your anger on your comrades. Besides, we have more important things to do."

"What, like find that kid?" Zant spat derisively, clearly irritated. "What does Ganon want him for anyway? If he wants to kill him so bad, why don't we just kill everyone in the school and be done with it?"

"You know what he has planned-"

"Yeah yeah, I know all about his 'plan'." Zant cut in aggressively. "But come on. Do you really think it'll work? Isn't this stuff all superstition anyway?"

"Of course not." Vaati said, with the air of one speaking to another who was clearly intellectually inferior. "The legends are all true. As for whether Ganondorf's going about it the right way…"

"Well, whatever." he replied, and Midna heard their footsteps continue on down the hallway. "I'm getting sick of waiting. You go ahead and help him if you want. I hear most of the cheerleaders are in the gym."

With a cackle of spine chilling laughter, they heard Zant say, distantly, "I think it's time for me to have a little fun…"

Then they were gone.

Midna's heart was still thudding in her throat. Ganondorf was searching for someone specifically? Who? And Zant was going to…

Suddenly, the full meaning of Zant's final comment hit her with the force of a cement truck.

"Oh goddesses…" She groaned, "He's going to kill everyone in the gym… We've got to stop him…"

"What?" Linebeck yelped, his face going pale. "Stop him? And how are we supposed to do that?!"

"She's right." Ashei said, sounding more confidant than Midna felt. "We've got to go after them. Two of us can go after Zant and stop him. But the other two need to stop Vaati before he finds that kid and brings him to Ganondorf, because if he does, I get the feeling the rest of us won't be around for much longer."

"Ashei and I will go after Vaati." Shad said, nodding in agreement to Ashei's deduction while Linebeck looked back and forth between them frantically, his mouth gaping like a fish. "You two go after Zant."

"Why do we get the crazy one?" Linebeck burst out indignantly.

"Because your exit is in the gym, and it's the only way we can be sure you won't run out on us." Ashei snarled.

Linebeck groaned, his head slumping forward in his arms. "We're all going to die…"

Midna swallowed and tried to stop herself from agreeing.

* * *

To say that Zelda was getting a little stir crazy was to say that Ordon High's current situation was a minor inconvenience. As if being forced to sit cross-legged behind a table on the cold, hard, and filthy tile floor squashed between two dozen terrified teenagers wasn't bad enough, her knee was stinging something awful. She knew she shouldn't have worn her jeans with the ripped knees today.

Leaning back against the stiff wooden leg of the table, Zelda let out an impatient sigh. How long was it going to take for them to be rescued? Did the police even know what was going on? Surely they must; the attackers couldn't have captured every student…

Letting her eyes sweep the classroom for the umpteenth time that morning, she found herself focusing mainly on her new gaggle of friends. Aryll, who was sitting in front of her and a little to the left, had her arm protectively around the shoulders of a pretty red head who was quivering, tears pouring silently down her face. Her other hand was being squeezed to death by a short boyish girl who had drawn her legs up to her chest and had buried her face in her knees. Her short hair had been dyed a vivid shade of green.

Situated in front of Zelda, but more to the right and leaning back against the wall, sat Anju and Kafei. Anju sat silently, her head resting on Kafei's shoulder, her fingers gently intertwined with her boyfriends, who was still facing to wall to avoid detection. It was sweet, really; Kafei possibly risking his life in an attempt to comfort and protect his girlfriend.

Suddenly, Zelda felt very alone. Anju had Kafei, and Aryll had her two friends, though it looked like the other two were getting the most of the comfort. Who did she have? The only friends she had were the ones she'd made during this crisis. And wasn't there some famous saying that says relationships based off of traumatic events never worked out? Sure, that was probably directed towards romantic relationships, but still…

Zelda really only had two people in the world; her father, Daphnes Nohanson, and her older sister Tetra, who was in college. Her mother had passed away when Zelda was a child, and her father had moved around a lot. She'd never really had the opportunity to stay in one area long enough to make friends, until… Until her father had managed to secure a job working for Hyrule's Prime Minister, acting as a political correspondent here in Ordon. Now, finally, Zelda was given her chance to spend the rest of High School being normal… and then this happened.

Anju's foot nudged Zelda's thigh softly. Glancing up out of her pitiful revelry, Zelda met her concerned gaze.

"You ok?" Anju whispered softly.

Deciding that she didn't want the older girl's pity, Zelda gave her best attempt at a nonchalant shrug and said, casting around in her head for an excuse for her sudden depression, "Yeah… I'm just… worried about this girl I met earlier."

"Don't worry, sweetie. I'm sure your friend is fine." Anju said, beaming encouragingly.

Friend…

"Yeah… me too…"

Anju gave her a scrutinizing look that clearly said that she didn't believe her, but rather than continue the subject, Zelda said, softly, "I wish they would hurry up."

From Aryll's side, the red headed girl's head jerked up with a frightened squeak as she shot Zelda a scandalized look.

"No, no!" Zelda said frantically, "I meant the cops, not… not the other people."

"It's ok, Malon," Aryll said soothingly, rubbing the girl's arm. Over her head, she shot Zelda an amused smile.

Malon, however, did not look amused at all. "Seriously, we all, like, need to get out of here before we get murdered!"

"And how exactly do you propose we do that?" Came Kafei's sarcastic response from Anju's side. He turned his head from the wall to give Malon a flat look. "Incase you've forgotten, the dude's got a gun."

"Well, we've got to do something!" Malon hissed vehemently, scowling through her tears at the purple haired young man.

"Oh sure," he said, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "How's about you three take out his legs, and while he's distracted, I'll tackle him and take the gun. Then, we can tie him to a chair like Jack Bauer, and waltz on out of here."

If anything, Malon's scowl only intensified, but to the surprise of everyone listening, the green haired girl let out a snort of laughter.

"I'm sorry!" she said through her giggles as Malon glowered at her. "It's just… that was funny…"

A sudden thud of shoes hitting tile floor from the front of the class drew their attention.

"Alright, that's it. I told you to shut up, and you didn't. Now I have to be all authoritative."

Zelda felt her stomach drop. Backing up quickly so she was directly under the table as though that were going to protect her, she drew her knees up under her chin and hugged her legs tightly. Behind her, she could hear the slow, plodding foot steps of their emotionless captor drawing nearer, keeping time with the frantic beating of her heart.

Finally, after what felt like a painful eternity, he rounded the corner of the table that Zelda was hiding behind and stared down at their tiny clump of students, his face still displaying no emotion other than boredom, his long black trench coat only adding to his villainous appearance.

The green haired girl went rigid; her eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights as she frantically scrabbled back against the wall. Malon dove behind Aryll for protection, and Aryll's face paled dramatically, her eyes fixated on the assailant's gun. Even Anju seemed to lose her sense of calm for a moment, her hand suddenly squeezing Kafei's in a vice grip as she barely perceptively shook.

Kafei had turned back to the wall and gone very still, his head once again tilted down so that his long hair curtained his face.

The boy seemed to survey them once before sighing dramatically.

"What a drag…" he muttered, running his free hand briefly through his close cropped hair. "Alright, alright. Who do I have to kill?"

The way that he tossed out the word 'kill', as though it were nothing special, made Zelda shudder involuntarily. When nobody answered, he stepped forward and prodded Aryll's leg with his shoe.

"What about blondie here?"

Aryll's face paled even further, and she made a strange choking sound. Malon whimpered from behind her.

"Or… how about greenie?"

The smaller girl buried her face in her arms and began to sob.

"Stop it!" Anju burst out angrily, glaring up at their captor in a sudden display of courage. "Stop toying with us! You're a sick, twisted, monster of a human being and I-"

The shooter turned his gun calmly towards Anju, effectively cutting off her tirade with a strangled gulp. Kafei seemed to tense beside her.

"Thank you for volunteering," the boy said, his ever monotonous voice still displaying no emotion.

Zelda felt something rise in her chest as the soon-to-be killer turned his back to her in order to face Anju fully. She had to do something… There had to be a way… The boy positioned himself directly in front of the table where Zelda was hiding, effectively hiding his face from hers. Zelda found her eyes focusing on the back of the boy's knees… and suddenly she remembered what Kafei had said.

Without pausing to think, Zelda leaned back, braced herself against the table's leg, and kicked out with all her might at the attacker's knees. The boy let out a grunt of surprise as his legs gave way, sending him toppling back into the table. Kafei didn't hesitate; as though he'd coordinated this with Zelda beforehand, Kafei leapt from the floor on to the attacker, effectively pinning him on the table top. Hurriedly, Zelda rolled out from under the table and sprang to her feet.

There was a moment of frantic struggle in which the boy tried to force Kafei off of him, but Kafei had seized him by the wrists, and the boy had no room for leverage. Aryll darted forward and pried the gun from his now immobile wrist.

Pointing it at him shakily, she said "Don't move."

The remainder of the class sat stunned, watching with baited breath as the scene unfolded before them. Anju and the green haired girl rose from the floor apprehensively, Anju's eyes filled with worry as she watched her boyfriend grapple with their captor. Malon remained on the floor, though she watched the two boys with shock and awe.

After a few more moments of futile struggle, the boy finally stopped. Breathing heavily, he said, showing the first true emotion that any of them had heard from him, "…you're… a guy?!"

Kafei grinned roguishly, still panting from the exertion. "Surprise."

Anju cleared her throat roughly, then said, her voice still a little shaky, "Now would be a good time to leave."

"What do we do with him?" Kafei asked gruffly.

At this, the green haired girl said, enthusiastically, "Tie him up like Jack Bauer!"

As Kafei and the rest of the class got to work incapacitating their old captor, Zelda gratefully took the opportunity to sit back and organize her thoughts. Getting out of the school was obviously their number one priority, but what about Midna? True, she barely even knew the girl, but it felt wrong to simply abandon her…

Not that there was much she could do for her anyway. She didn't even know where she was.

With her eyes closed, she didn't see Anju approaching her from the side.

"Thank you." she said quietly, and Zelda's eyes flew open in surprise.

"For what?" she said, confounded.

"For saving me. If you hadn't kicked that guy, I wouldn't…" her voice died in her throat, and she had to swallow quickly before continuing. "Anyway… thank you. You saved my life."

Zelda blushed in embarrassment and looked down at her feet. "I-I didn't really do anything. It was Kafei, really. I just sort of helped."

But Anju merely smiled and gave her a hug. After a moment, Zelda hugged her back.

"You two finished bonding yet?" Kafei said bemusedly, approaching them with a grin. Glancing over his shoulder, Zelda could see that they'd bound the shooter to a chair at the front of the class using random odds and ends that they'd found around the classroom, including belts and masking tape. His trench coat and shoes lay on the teacher's desk, having been removed to make binding him easier.

The now liberated students had clustered together like cattle and were nervously surveying Kafei, waiting for more instructions.

Anju sighed and stepped away from Zelda, surveying the group before her.

"How are we going to get out of here?" Aryll asked, stepping forward and forming a mini circle with Zelda, Anju, and Kafei.

"There has to be a way…" Anju muttered, taping her fingers against her lips as she thought.

"Well, first things first, where's that gun?" Kafei said, cracking his neck as though in preparation for something. Aryll handed it to him tentatively, handling it as though it were a poisonous viper.

Anju eyed it apprehensively. "Sweetie…"

"Relax, Anj. I have a plan." Walking calmly towards the bound would-be killer, he continued speaking over his shoulder. "We can't just lead a group of students walking around the high school; we'd be caught long before we found an exit. So I'm thinking if I impersonate one of the guys who's doing the shooting, maybe I can get us out of here."

"But how are you going to-" Zelda's voice cut off as Kafei lifted the attacker's large, baggy trench coat from the desk beside the chair they'd imprisoned him on.

"I'll wear this. If I keep my hood up, nobody will be able to tell I'm not him from a distance, and if I have a gun and act like I'm taking you somewhere, nobody will suspect a thing."

Anju opened her mouth furiously to protest, but Kafei strode forward quickly and laid a finger over her lips. "We don't have a choice, love."

"He's right." Aryll said matter-of-factly. "As much as I don't like it, his plan is the best we have. Let's hurry up and get out of here."

Anju looked horrified, and while Kafei and Aryll began relaying their plan to the rest of the frightened girls, Zelda took her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"Your boyfriend is really brave. You should be proud."

"I am." She whispered. Zelda sighed and put her arm around the trembling girl's shoulders in her best attempt at a comforting gesture.

After a few more moments of hasty preparations, the group seemed at last ready to depart.

"Alright ladies." Kafei said, throwing them a charming smile as he opened the door. "Let's do this."

* * *

**Well there you have it. Chapter number 7. I hope you all enjoyed the latest installment. Expect the next one hopefully in a week or so; please note that I said hopefully, implying that this deadline is not definitive.**

**I actually cut this chapter a little short, and decided to save the juicy bit for the next chapter. And why not? The next chapter IS the middle of my story, so you can expect some dramatic stuff to go down. Look forward to it. **

**But I digress. Please, if you would, leave me a review. I don't care if you bash me, so long as it's constructive. I simply enjoy hearing from my readers, and the more reviews I get, the more I feel inclined to write. Help me to make this a better story. **

**Sincerely yours, **

**ZC  
**


	8. Reunion

Ok, Ok. No more excuses. My computer died again, but I know you don't really care. Anyway, sorry about the... 3? month wait, but better late than never, right?

Aight. Chapter 8. The middle of the story. Happy reading.

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**Reunion  
**

With a weary sigh, Mrs. Hero stepped into her quiet home and, balancing precariously on one frail leg, closed the front door with her foot. Readjusting the large brown paper grocery bags that she carried in her arms, she hurried forward passed the couch, through the den, and into the kitchen.

Setting the bags down on the countertop, Mrs. Hero took a moment to lean back and catch her breath. Old age had clearly done a number on her stamina; to think that carrying in a few bags of groceries could wind her! With a rueful shake of her head, she turned to head back toward the den to sit down for a few minutes when she noticed something sitting on the kitchen table.

It was a spoon. A wet spoon. Sitting in a puddle of milk, surrounded by miniature marshmallows.

_Link._

Growling in her throat, the elderly woman strode forward, yanking a couple paper towels from off the roll on the counter as she went, and began cleaning up her grandson's mess. Honestly, she didn't know where the boy got his manners. It wasn't from her, or her late husband Smith; the goddesses knew Link would do whatever Smith said from fear of a spanking when he was young. Working at a steel mill had given him some fantastic muscles. And it certainly wasn't his mother, her daughter, from whom she was certain Aryll had inherited her sweet personality. No… it was likely his father. Or perhaps he'd learned it from his uncle, her only son. Both had been wily troublemakers… before they had been killed in the war.

Drawing a shaky breath, Mrs. Hero willed herself not to get sucked into despair again. She'd lost so many family members… nobody should outlive their child… especially not both of them. Link and little Aryll were all that she had left in the world… not that that excused Link for leaving messes for her to clean up. Why, when that boy got home…

Entering the den, a blinking red light in the corner of the room drew her attention. It was the phone; she had a missed call. Pausing for a moment to check the caller ID, she ignored it and decided to take a breather. It was just Rusl, Aryll's boyfriend's father. She couldn't imagine what he'd wanted, but she was in no mood to talk to anyone at the moment.

Easing herself down in her husband's old recliner, she reveled in the silence of her home for a moment before turning on the tv.

Cooking with Paula Dean? No. Lifetime? Not right now. The News? Maybe later, after-

With a horrified gasp, Mrs. Hero dropped the remote.

It was the high school. Link and Aryll's high school. Why was the high school being shown with the headline 'Breaking News'?

The camera angle was overtop the school, clearly from a helicopter. From that vantage point, she could see the building was completely surrounded by police cars and ambulances, sirens and flashing lights enough to set off an epileptic shock.

"…far, attempts to negotiate with the students who are leading the attack have been futile. The number of casualties reported is still climbing, though it appears that most of the students managed to get out before being captured. The Chief of Police has not been available for comment, but we have been promised an interview with one of the students who led a recent escape from the school within the hour."

Mrs. Hero stopped listening. Rising to her feet much faster than she would have thought possible, she all but ran toward the phone. Quickly dialing Rusl's number, she prayed to the Goddesses that he knew where her grandchildren were.

* * *

The gaggle of newly liberated girls moved together in a frightened pack through the halls. Originally, Kafei had divided them into two columns to march in a more orderly fashion, but the columns had quickly fallen apart as the girls subconsciously moved closer together for comfort.

Zelda walked slightly ahead of the group to avoid their endless whimpering in order to avoid the temptation to give in to it herself. Arm linked with Anju, she couldn't help but turn her head in the direction of every sound or peering down every adjoining hallway, envisioning in her mind the hulking form of Ganondorf striding down the hall to stop their escape.

However, despite the omnipresent sense of dread and nearly paralyzing fear that seemed to constrict her chest with iron bars that limited her breathing, there was one person in the group who seemed totally at ease.

Kafei, leading the group, was swaggering directly in front of Anju and Zelda, the bottom of his stolen trench coat swaying back and forth with the movement of his body. He held the gun they'd taken casually in his hand, and turned occasionally to peer around the corner of the hood that obscured his vibrant hair to flash a dazzling smile at his girlfriend. Every time he did this, Anju would hiss angrily despite her blush and gesture violently for him to pay attention to what he was doing. He'd merely chuckle and return to his strutting.

After every chuckle, Zelda would give Anju's arm a reassuring squeeze, which would result in a tremulous sigh from the worried girl. This cycle repeated, over and over, until finally Zelda began to question just how long this hallway really was, and it they would-

"Ok guys, what do you think? Stay on this floor, or try downstairs?" Kafei's quiet murmur sliced through her thoughts.

Zelda and Anju exchanged baffled looks, not knowing how to answer his question, but it was Aryll who came to the rescue.

"Downstairs." She said, stepping up beside Zelda.

"Why? Do you know of any exits that aren't blocked?" Kafei asked curiously.

"No," Aryll said, "but there are more exits on the ground floor, which means there's a greater chance that we'll find one that isn't blocked."

Kafei grinned at her broadly. "I like your thinking, blondie." he said, and Aryll blushed, looking down.

"Alright ladies, you heard the girl. Down we go!"

The romp down the stairwell was every bit as uneventful as the walk down the hallway was, which Zelda was grateful for, though it was a good deal noisier. The girls, too terrified to think straight, kept trying to rush ahead to keep close to Kafei, causing a good deal of stomping and frustrated hisses as they bumped into one another.

Finally, after exiting the stairwell and finding themselves once again alone, they faced another decision.

"Ok, Anj, what do you say? Right or left?" Kafei said softly, gesturing to the two hallways that stretched out before them.

"Right…" She said hesitantly.

"Ok, left it is!" he replied, flashing another grin at her indignant expression.

"He's just trying to lighten the mood." Anju muttered softly in response to Zelda's confused expression. "He's trying to stop the other girls from panicking."

Turning to glance behind her, Zelda decided that his plan was working at least somewhat. None of the girls looked relaxed, but they also didn't seem as likely to break down into hysterics as they were when they'd first set out. Letting her eyes sweep the group, Zelda could see Saria hugging her elbows fiercely, a look of intense determination in her eyes. Aryll had her arm around Malon, guiding her swiftly behind Zelda and Anju while she rubbed her shoulders comfortingly. The other students had various expressions on their faces: One girl was tugging at her braid fitfully, another was chewing on her lip with an anxious look on her face. There was a boy, his expression blank, reaching for something in his coat, and a short girl tugging on the ends of her…

Wait, boy?

A sudden feeling of dread in her chest, Zelda felt her arm tighten around Anju's as she spun around, her eyes darting frantically to find what her brain was telling her couldn't be… No!

She opened her mouth to scream, but it was too late.

There was a bang, louder by far than any she'd ever heard due to it's proximity, and the collective scream of a dozen frightened girls. Eyes wide with panic, Zelda took in the face of the shooter; his plain expression, his average light brown hair, his forgettable brown eyes, and realized the one thing that set him apart was that there _was_ nothing that set him apart.

She recognized him from the graveyard this morning. What was his name? San? Samok?

There was a loud thud behind her, followed by a heart wrenching cry.

"Anju!"

Whirling around, Zelda tried in vain to process what she was seeing. Anju had fallen to her knees, her hands clutching fitfully at her stomach, trying to hold in the mass of red that was pouring between her fingers. Kafei had collapsed beside her, his hands shaking as they covered her own, his face pale, his eyes boring into hers.

"Ouch…" She muttered softly, hunching over, her eyes clenched tightly shut in pain.

"Anju!" Aryll wailed, but her cry of despair was suddenly silenced.

Tearing her horrified gaze away from her wounded friend, Zelda noticed for the first time that they were completely surrounded by armed boys, one of which had seized Aryll from behind and covered her mouth.

"Take her," said the forgettable boy, his voice sounding very plain beside the muttering of some of the others. "Ganondorf wants her alive, mind. Make sure she isn't harmed."

"Whatever you say, Sakon." The boy holding Aryll said with the air of one who wasn't exactly happy to be taking orders from another. With a rough yank, he pulled Aryll out of the mass of students and led her off down an adjacent hallway.

"Looks like your aim was a little off, eh Sakon?" one of the others joked. "You missed the guy."

"I didn't miss." he replied calmly, his plain eyes regarding the bleeding girl and the sobbing boy evenly. "She jumped in the way."

Sakon's words seemed to spark something in Kafei. He looked up slowly towards Sakon, his face contorted with rage, his eyes blurry and bloodshot, and snarled, "You…"

Sakon didn't even flinch, raising his gun a second time and pointing it at Kafei. Kafei, however, was faster; drawing the gun Zelda had forgotten he carried from his pocked, he quickly fired a single shot towards Sakon.

There was a stunned silence, in which Sakon staggered backwards, blood blossoming on his left arm. His hand began to spasm and, unable to control the muscles in it, the gun he held dropped uselessly to the floor.

Suddenly, there was movement everywhere. Ever other armed assailant brought out there guns and trained them on the spot where Kafei was sitting, but he was no longer there. Having realized he'd missed, he'd darted forward, charging Sakon with a roar of rage. Sakon, however, turned and fled down the hall, Kafei charging after him, bullets tearing up the tile and lockers around them until they both disappeared around the corner.

Zelda, under the cover of the confusion, sank to her knees beside Anju. The puddle of blood beside where she lay was growing larger, and her pale body trembled with the pain.

"K… Kafei…" she whispered faintly, her eyes staring at the spot her boyfriend had vanished at.

"Hold on, Anju." Zelda whispered fervently, even as the attackers turned their attention back to the girl and began trying to restore order. "Hold on. I'll get you help… I promise…"

* * *

Clutching his chest and panting with relief, Link tried his best to quiet his breathing. He was sitting beneath the grimy sinks of the boys restroom on the second floor, hiding from the shooters he'd heard walking his way. They'd been gone for about a minute, but he didn't want to take his chances, and besides, he needed to catch his breath.

He'd been carefully stalking his way down the hall in the opposite direction that Darunia had taken the students. True, he realized that he was now heading back towards the direction he came from, but he was hoping to be able to get back to the janitor's closet where he'd gained access to the air vent in the first place; to him, it seems like the easiest way to search the school without being caught. He still needed a way into Miss Marie's geometry class.

Unfortunately, before he could make it, he was forced to take a wide, circuitous route in order to avoid what he could only assume was one of the shooters looking for a vending machine, seeing as he was talking aloud to himself about how badly he was craving a Snickers bar.

In any event, he soon had to duck inside of the bathroom to hide from a passing group of armed teens, and he was taking it as an opportunity to catch his breath.

_Ok, _he thought grimly, _so far today I've been shot at, chased up an air vent, nearly broke my back falling from said air vent onto some dude's head, may or may not have made friends with the quarterback, and am now playing hide and go seek in a bathroom. _

_Clearly, I live a blessed life. _

Link shook his head irritably, willing himself to focus. Find Aryll, that was his number one goal. Nothing else mattered, not even his safety. After all, Aryll and his grandmother were all he had left in the world, and if anything happened to her…

Link sighed, running his hand through his messy, dust covered hair. At least Sheik and Midna weren't here; Sheik had been missing for days, so he found it safe to assume he wasn't being held captive like the rest of them. And Midna hadn't met him in the morning like she usually did. She was probably skipping, or home sick. Well if she wasn't sick before, she likely was now. Sick with worry, that is.

He found himself wondering what the news was saying about the whole ordeal, which lead to thoughts about how his grandma was taking it, which lead to thoughts about Aryll…

Groaning slightly, Link climbed to his feet and met his determined reflection in the mirror. Miss Marie's geometry class. That's where he'd last seen her. Get to the vent, then back to the classroom, and figure out something from there.

With renewed vigor, Link quickly strode from the bathroom, turned the corner, and ran immediately smack dab into someone.

"Oof!"

"Urk!"

With a painful crack, Link yet again felt the disturbingly familiar sensation of his head colliding with the tile floor. With a zombie-like moan, Link sat up, rubbing his head in irritation and turned to scowl at the boy he'd run into…

And froze.

The boy, still on his feet apparently, was staring down at him through his messy blonde bangs that covered his wide, shocked, blood-red eyes. The gun in his hand shook imperceptively as their eyes met.

"L-Link?"

"Sheik?"

That was it, then. He'd finally lost his mind. That last crack on the head must have been what did it, Link decided, because what he was seeing was impossible. Sheik couldn't be here, not after he'd been missing for so long. And he certainly couldn't be holding a gun, because that would mean…

That would mean…

Suddenly, Midna's conversation from yesterday rang loudly in his head. '_I saw him about a week ago hanging out with Ganondorf and his posse… You don't think he's gotten himself into trouble, do you?_'

"Sheik…" Link said slowly, inwardly pleading with the Goddesses that what he was seeing wasn't reality, "What are… Why do you have a gun?"

Sheik seemed to snap back into reality. Glancing down at the weapon in his hand, he turned his gaze back to Link and took a slow, steady breath.

"Link. Get off the floor."

"No." Link shot back, his heart beginning to pound furiously. "Answer my question."

"Link, just get off the-"

"NO!" He bellowed, and suddenly he was on his feet,. Anger, hurt, and betrayal coursing through him, empowering his words. "What are you doing? Where have you been, and why do you have that… that THING!"

"If you keep yelling, you're going to draw attention." Sheik said, his voice unreadable.

Link opened his mouth to shout some more, to rage against the boy he once called his best friend, but suddenly he felt deflated. He shook his head, leaning up against the wall for support, and turned his gaze down to the filthy floor tiles.

"Sheik… please, tell me you're not part of this…"

Sheik said nothing.

Link drew a haggard breath, then let it out. "So what's the plan, then? You just gonna shoot me?"

Silence.

Link looked up at his once best friend to see his face looking grim. "Well?"

"Just… just get in one of the classrooms and stay there, Link." he said quietly, his gun still pointed at his chest.

Link scoffed bitterly. "What, to good to do the dirty work yourself?"

He wasn't sure what made him say it. Deep down, a little voice in his head was urging him not to provoke the guy with the gun. But all Link could see was Sheik; the guy he'd always hung out with, the guy who slept over at his house when they were little, who helped him pull pranks on his little sister, who once decided it was a good idea to try and keep a wild raccoon as a pet…

Sheik flinched. "Ganondorf doesn't want any students killed…"

"Oh, sure. Right. My bad. I forgot that Ganondorf was looking out for the good of the students-"

"Just shut up, Link! Get in the friggin' classroom! You don't understand-"

"Well then make me understand!" he snarled, stepping forward.

"What, you really think I won't?" Sheik spat back, his eyes blazing.

"You're not gonna shoot me." Link hissed venomously. "I don't care what you say. You're still Sheik. You're still my best friend."

Sheik snorted derisively, tearing his eyes away from Link's and scowling at the floor.

"Fine then." Link growled, "I'll just have to knock some sense back into you."

Sheik reacted too late; Link's fist was already sinking into his stomach. With a heavy 'Oof!' Sheik stumbled backward a few steps before glaring up at Link.

"You punch like your sister." he grunted.

"You would know." Link snorted. "Remember that time when you- Ack!"

Sheik had full body tackled Link to the floor, causing him to land heavily on his already injured shoulder. Grunting with effort, Sheik managed to punch Link twice in the face with his free hand before he was shoved off. Link somehow managed to get to his feet first and kicked Sheik heavily in the side. With a groan, Sheik rolled over to avoid Link's second kick before catching his foot and pulling him to the ground.

They rolled apart and sprang to their feet simultaneously. Link swung wildly at Sheik, but he dodged it easily, swinging his arm back and smacking Link soundly on the head with the butt of the handgun. Forehead bleeding into his eyes, Link stumbled into a locker blindly before being kicked in the back and flying back down onto the floor.

Wiping his eyes grimly, Link staggered to his feet before bull-rushing Sheik and slamming him into a locker. He threw a punch, missing him as he ducked and slammed his fist into the cold metal, denting it and cutting his knuckles.

Whirling around, Link swung again, this time his fist connected with Sheik's face and sent him stumbling backwards.

They stared at each other coldly; Link wiping the blood from out of his eyes, Sheik spitting it out of his mouth, and then they both moved. Link charged, his first raised. Sheik's arm rose, pointing the gun at Link…

And hesitated.

Link smacked the gun from his hand, sending it flying in a high arc before crashing back into the ground. The two teens stood, panting, regarding each other through guarded eyes. The moment seemed to stretch on for eternity, neither moving or acknowledging what had happened.

Link spoke first.

"Why?"

"Why what?" Sheik said, looking down as he leaned against a locker, still panting heavily from their fight.

"Why didn't you shoot me?"

Sheik opened his mouth as if to answer, then closed it again, shaking his head.

Link sighed. "Ok, then answer this. Why are you doing this? Sheik, this isn't like you…"

There was a long pause, and just when Link was going to give up and walk away, Sheik spoke.

"Ganondorf… He offered to help me."

"Help you? With what?" Link asked.

There was a slight hesitation as Sheik lifted his head to meet Link's eyes. His own seemed… hollow, almost. Like they'd once been full of life, but it had all been scraped out.

"My mom was… was real sick. We didn't know what was wrong with her, and we didn't have any money to pay for her treatment. You know what she was like; always drinking and shooting up. No way was any health insurance gonna accept her. He… he said he could pay for her treatment if I did a few odd jobs for him."

Link was silent, watching his friend as he slowly straightened up.

"So I went along with it for a few weeks. It was just stupid stuff, like delivering packages to people. I guess they were drug deals or whatever, but I didn't really care. Whatever it took, ya know? But then… one day, about a week ago…"

Sheik sighed heavily and cleared his throat. "She… My mum, that is. She just didn't wake up."

His voice, which had been quiet and monotone, suddenly broke and vibrated with barely withheld emotion. Link felt like he'd been punched in the stomach. Sheik's mom? Dead? Sure, Mrs. Shadow wasn't exactly the nicest woman in the world, but still…

"I didn't know what to do… I used up the last of our savings to pay for her funeral, but… I'm still 16, and social services was coming for me, and I was gonna make a run for it. But then Ganondorf came to me, and said he had a plan… Some way to make the system pay for not treating my mom."

He slowly turned his gaze up and looked imploringly at Link, who was startled to see tears brimming in his usually stalwart eyes. "I-I don't know why I went along with it. I've been in this haze… ever since she died. I just had no one else to turn to…"

"Sheik…" Link said, stepping forward and putting his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Come on, man. Why didn't you tell me? Or Midna? We're your best friends, of course we would've been there for you."

Sheik only shook his head, clearly trying to regain control over his emotions.

Link sighed. "I mean, not to get all 'Boy Meets World' on you, but… I care about you, man. You're like… the brother I never had."

Sheik snorted, wiping his eyes on the back on his hand and clearing his throat. "You're such a girl…"

Link laughed. "Meh. Aryll watches too many chick flicks."

Sheik smirked and opened his mouth to respond, when suddenly a gunshot rang out. Link and Sheik both froze, suddenly remembering where they were and what was happening.

Link turned to face the direction the gunfire was coming from. "Sheik. I have to find Aryll and get her out of here. Do you know where she is?"

Sheik sighed. "No. I don't. All I know is that Ganondorf's after her."

Link spun around, eyes bulging. "He's WHAT?"

"I don't know, dude. He just told Sakon to bring her too him. He doesn't tell me all of his plans."

Link's heart was racing. "Well, where's Sakon? If I follow him, maybe he'll lead me to her."

"It's not like I keep track of these people." Sheik said unhelpfully.

Link spun around and glared. "Well, are you gonna help me or not?"

Before he could answer, a sudden, bull-like roar issued out of the hall where the gunshot had come from just moments before.

"SAKON!"

From off to their right, a medium sized brown haired blur streaked passed, and the sounds of hurried footsteps suggested he was climbing the stairwell. Just seconds afterward, another blur streaked passed, this one rather purple, and it too began ascending the stairs.

"Um…" said Link blankly.

A series of feminine screams came from down the hallway, and without thinking, Link set off after them.

"Link, where are you going?" Sheik called quickly. "Sakon went that way!"

"Girls." He said quickly, still panting from their fight. "In trouble. Might be Aryll."

He took off running, but was suddenly stopped by a hand grabbing the back of his sweater.

"Wait," Sheik said, once again holding the gun he'd dropped. "Let me go first. They know me, so they won't shoot."

Link gave a curt nod, and together the two headed off down the hallway.

* * *

So guys, what'd you think? Again, I know it's horrendously late, but I really didn't have a choice. My computer died, and took my story and it's notes with it.

Also, some bits were a little rushed, so I'm sorry if there are any mistakes. Feel free to point them out to me, and I'll be sure to go back and fix them. I was just trying to get this chapter done to prove I was still alive and writing.

Anyway, here's hoping you'll forgive me. And don't forget to review!

Ever Zestful,

ZC


	9. Sacrifice

Ugh... so this chapter took much longer to write than I thought it would. Then again, it's longer than I thought it'd be too, so try not to be too mad at me for the delay.

All things aside though, I think it came out pretty well. I hope you all like it.

* * *

**Chapter 9**

**Sacrifice**

"No!"

Somewhere in Zelda's understandably tormented mind, she had to admit that her shriek sounded pretty impressive. "We can't just leave her here in the hallway!"

"Listen, Blondie-"

"She's going to die!" Saria cut in angrily from Zelda's side, holding Anju's pale hand in her own.

The boy in front of them scoffed. "Well duh. That's sorta the point."

"Please," Zelda said, desperation coating her anguished words. "Don't make us abandon her… Let us carry her to wherever you want to take us… Please…"

Tears were falling down Zelda's face freely now, and she hated herself for it. She was supposed to be staying strong for Anju, trying to be supportive, but with Kafei and Aryll gone and Anju dying on the cold tile floor before her, she could feel the last dregs of hope fading with her.

They weren't going to get out. They were going to die here, all of them. And there was nothing she could do.

Still, she held eye contact with the boy, and was surprised to find hesitation in his red-rimmed eyes. A short bark of laughter from one of the other attackers suddenly drew her attention.

"What? We're supposed to be compassionate? Doesn't that sort of defeat the purpose?"

He trudged forward, shoving the first boy aside and stared down at Zelda, Saria, Anju, and Malon, who was kneeling with Anju's head resting on her lap. With a grimace, he spat in Zelda's face.

"I'll settle this argument right now. I'll shoot you both and be done with it."

Zelda's eyes went wide, her heart stopping in terror. All around her she could hear the sudden intake of breath from the other frightened girls, as well as a terrified squeak from Malon. Time seemed to slow as she watched the barrel of his gun rise from his side and come to a rest a few inches from her face.

This is it, she thought. This is the end. I'm done for.

With a choked off sob, she squeezed her eyes tight, her heart screaming in her chest, and waited for the end.

"Stop!"

Zelda's eyes popped back open in shock. Stop? They're stopping? Who's stopping?

Her eyes skipped back and forth across the huddle of strange faces in front of her, not taking in what she was seeing as she desperately searched for the voice that had spared her, at least for a moment. Brain still not working properly, it took her a moment to notice that the bubble of gun toting sociopaths had parted to allow in two new boys.

She felt her fledgling hope die as she met the startlingly blood-red eyes of the boy in front. She recognized him from the cemetery. The boy Midna had a crush on… what was his name? Sheik? He was panting slightly, and his clothing was ruffled. There was a bit of dried blood on his shirt, and she shuttered to think of where it came from.

He regarded her silently for a moment through his lanky bangs before turning his attention to Anju. His lips tightened, and something that looked deceptively like concern flashed through his eyes. Then he stepped forward to talk to one of the shooters, and Zelda felt all the air rush out of her lungs, for there, behind Sheik, was the boy she'd struck with a door the other day.

Link… Oh Goddesses, what was he doing with the bad guys? Was he… one of them?

Of course, she found herself thinking despite herself, you meet a cute guy and he ends up being a homicidal maniac. Go figure.

"What's going on?" Sheik asked, his voice low and gruff.

The wiry teen, who she now noticed was wearing Metallica T-shirt, shrugged nonchalantly and said, "Nothin much, just teaching them a lesson."

Link caught Zelda's eye over Sheik's shoulder and mouthed 'you ok?'

She found it was all she could do to nod, relief pouring throughout her body. Maybe he wasn't a bad guy after all… But then, what was he doing with Sheik? And why was there blood on his face?

"A lesson." Sheik said flatly. He turned and examined the huddled group of gun toting males and hysterical girls before addressing the boy again.

"Tell me, Metallica," he said, putting a great deal of disgust in the name, "Do you remember what Ganondorf said about the students?"

A couple of the guys who were leaning against the lockers shuffled nervously.

Metallica scowled. "Yeah, so what?"

"So," Sheik said, his voice taking on a dangerously soft quality, "how do you think Ganon's gonna feel when he hears he's got even less hostages than he had before because somebody decided to play teacher?"

To give Metallica some credit, he at least attempted to return Sheik's stare, but meeting those ruby irises was like willingly staring at Medusa. They were cold, harsh, and unyielding as stone. After a few seconds, Metallica let out a curse and tore his eyes away, casting around for something to say, and finally noticed Link.

"…Who's he?"

"Ganondorf wants to see him."

"How come?"

"That's none of your business. Now, how about you get back to your assigned posts?"

"What about the-"

"Don't worry, I'll clean up your little mess. Now, go!"

With a murderous glare, Metallica and the rest of the guys started shuffling back down the hallway toward the staircase, muttering under their breath.

Zelda was stupefied. Had Sheik just delivered them from their captors? Was that even possible?

A whimper drew Zelda out of her stunned reverie. Anju's face was paler than ever, her hands still clenched fitfully against her abdomen as her chest struggled to rise and fall. Her off-white now stained scarlet; the tiny pool of blood that had formed on the already filthy tile floor had stained her jeans.

"Sheik!" Saria called out, agonized, startling Zelda. "Please, you have to help her! Anju got shot! She's not… She might…"

She cut off, sounding strangled.

"Relax. She's going to be fine, but we have to hurry."

"Wh… what?" Zelda choked out, staring in shock at the blonde haired boy as he knelt gently in front of Anju and started examining the wound.

"Well, I'm no doctor, but I don't think the bullet hit anything too important. It's too low on her stomach to have nicked her liver, and if it hit her kidney, there'd be more blood. Still, she's bleeding bad, and if we don't get her to the hospital soon, she's a goner."

Zelda couldn't speak. Get her to a hospital? Was this some sort of sick joke? He was a bad guy! It was his partner who'd shot Anju in the first place!

"But… Sheik, there are so many of them, and all the entrances are blocked…" Malon said shakily, clinging to Saria's arm with one hand and stroking Anju's pale face with the other.

Sheik shook his head as he began ripping off part of his sleeve. "Not true. I happen to know Darunia led a group of students to safety not too long ago from the kitchens. Also, the device planted above the exit in the gym didn't go off. All the exits are supposed to be guarded of course, but… well, they're not as organized as they'd like to think."

Zelda was about to bring to question how exactly he'd come across that knowledge and expose the truth about him to the group, when suddenly Link spoke up.

"Wait, Darunia? He got everyone out?"

She had almost forgotten Link was there. He looked horrible; dusty and out of breath with dried blood covering his face and sweater, his hair in complete disarray. Zelda felt a small pang of hurt upon seeing the gash on his forehead. She thought that she'd had it bad, but apparently her day had nothing on Link's.

Before Sheik could answer, Saria's eyes suddenly got wide and she blurted out "Oh Farore! Link! Link, they took Aryll!"

There was a stunned pause in which the impact of her words seemed to reverberate across the lockers. Link and Sheik merely stared at Saria, stupefied. Then Link stammered "W-what? Who… Where… Who took her? How long ago? Which way did they go?"

Saria had tears streaming down her cheeks again. "Link, I don't…"

"It was Sakon." Zelda said, taking up Saria's explanation. She met Link's frantic gaze and tried her best to sound calm and reassuring, "He's the one who shot Anju. Kafei chased him off, and I don't know where they went, but just before that Sakon ordered one of those guys to take Aryll to Ganondorf. I don't know why, but… he said they were explicitly ordered to make sure she wasn't harmed…"

Link fell to his knees, his eyes wide but blank.

"He got her…" he whispered. "I… I didn't get to her in time…"

"I'm sorry…" Zelda said softly, feeling her heart break for him. Saria broke down in silent sobs on Malon's shoulder.

"Enough!" Sheik spat, making everyone jump. "Link, pull yourself together, this isn't over yet. He said she wasn't to be harmed, so we still have a chance. In the mean time, a girl is dying, and her life depends on us, so come on!"

"Well what are we supposed to do?" Malon said bitterly, glaring at Sheik through red-rimmed eyes.

"I'll tell you what we're gonna do." Sheik said, lifting Anju's hands to place the wad of ripped shirtsleeve over her wound. "We need to get Anju out of here ASAP, so four of you are going to carry her while maintaining pressure over the bullet wound to slow the blood loss. Head to the kitchens; it may seem like there's an unlimited amount of maniacs with guns, but that's not true. Their resources are stretched thin as it is, so I doubt there will be a guard there since they're mostly concerned with guarding what few students they have left."

"Ok, but… who's gonna carry Anju?" Saria asked softly, smoothing Anju's sweaty bangs from her forehead.

"You and Malon," Sheik said, "and me and Link."

"Wait, what about Aryll?" Zelda said, her heart pounding frantically. "We can't just leave her!"

"We're not going to." Sheik said patiently, letting his patient red eyes meet Zelda's emotional violet ones. "Link and I will guide you to the kitchens, then go back and get her."

"But what if you don't have time!"

"We don't have a choice!"

"Yes, we do!" Zelda said, suddenly feeling bold. Aryll had been taken, and Zelda had done nothing to save her. She wasn't about to delay her rescue a moment longer, not when there was something she could do. "Look, we don't need you. There are enough of us to carry Anju and keep lookout. You two go and find Aryll."

"But-"

"No buts! We can handle this!" Zelda glanced around and was surprised and relieved to find the same look of steely determination reflected in the eyes of the girls around her, even the ones with tears still rolling down their cheeks. Sheik looked doubtful, but Zelda wasn't taking no for an answer.

"Go."

"She's right." Saria said, hastily wiping tears from her eyes. "Really, we've got this covered."

Sheik sighed heavily. "Alright, if you say so. Come on, let's get you ladies ready."

The rest of the girls flew into motion immediately, all seemingly battling over the chance to carry Anju. Zelda, however, stepped away from the milling throng and approached the quiet boy who was leaning against the lockers.

"Hey…" She said softly, unsure of what so say.

Link's gaze was still hollow with grief, but he looked at her and nodded briefly. "Hey."

"You ok?" She asked hesitantly, feeling stupid as soon as she asked. Up close, she could see the cut on his forehead really wasn't that bad, it had just bled a lot because it was a head wound.

He snorted despairingly and said, sarcasm dripping from his voice, "Oh yeah, I'm really great. I'm trapped inside a school full of homicidal maniacs, and my little sister's just been kidnapped by my archenemy. I'm fantastic."

There was a pause as Zelda and Link each looked down at their shoes, unsure of what to say next.

"…I'm sorry." Zelda finally whispered.

"For what?" Link asked, perplexed.

"For Aryll. She was taken, and I just… sat there and let it happen. I didn't even say anything, I just…" She took a deep, shuddering breath and willed herself not to cry again. She didn't deserve to cry in front of Link. Hugging herself tightly in an effort to quell her shaking limbs, she turned away and tried to blink away her rapidly gathering tears.

"Zelda…" Link said, then sighed heavily. "Don't be stupid, it's not your fault. There was nothing you could have done anyway, and besides, you had Anju to look after. It's ok."

Zelda said nothing, still staring intently at the dingy lockers.

"Are you cold?" He asked suddenly.

"What? N-no, I'm just-"

"Here." He said, pulling his sweater off over his head and holding it out to her, revealing a rumpled black T-shirt bearing the band name 'Skull Keeta'.

"Oh, Link, no, I don't need-"

"Take it." He said softly, pushing it into her arms. "It's a little too hot in this school for my liking anyway."

There was a pause in which Zelda stared into his pained blue gray eyes before smiling slightly and whispering "Thank you."

He shrugged and looked away. "Um, yeah. No Problem. So… you should probably get going…"

Zelda swallowed and nodded. "Yeah. Ok."

There was another pause, then Link slowly turned and walked toward Sheik who was talking to Malon and Saria near Anju.

Suddenly, Zelda heard her self blurting out "Link! Wait!"

He stopped and turned back, his head cocked to the side as he stared at her, confused. "Um… yeah?"

"Just… Stay safe, ok?" She said, inwardly chastising herself for sounding like an idiot. Really, did she not know how to talk to a guy? Though in her defense, she really didn't know him, and he was probably creeped out by all the attention she was giving him…

He smiled at her softly and said, "Only if you do."

She smiled back and nodded. "Deal."

Link turned back and continued on towards Sheik. With a heavy sigh, Zelda tugged Link's sweater on over her head, poked her arms through the sleeves, and headed over to Saria and Malon who were carefully supporting Anju in their arms along with three other girls.

"Ready ladies?" She asked, sounding much more confidant that she felt, and together they headed off down the hall.

* * *

"Sir!"

Rusl turned away from the traumatized student he was interviewing with an impatient sigh.

"I believe I specifically asked not to be disturbed, Dobson."

The young officer swallowed nervously. "Uh, yes. Yes you did, sir. It's just… There's an elderly woman here causing a commotion, and-"

"And? Can you not handle an old lady, officer?" Rusl demanded. "Incase you hadn't noticed, we've got a bit of a situation here, and I don't have time to handle each and every random little distraction!"

"Sir," the officer pressed, "She wouldn't take no for an answer. She said to tell you… t-to tell you 'if you don't march your skinny butt out to talk to her, she's going to take one of your antique swords, chop you into tiny pieces, and toss you into the Kakariko Well, so help her Farore'. And that's a direct quote."

Rusl gaped and Dobson in stupefaction before letting out a low groan.

"Grandma Hero…" He grumbled, snatching up his coffee and coat. "Take over for me here. And let me know if there's any more movement!"

"Yes sir!" Dobson replied, saluting for no good reason, but Rusl was already hurrying off.

To say that the grounds around the school were busy was an understatement, but that didn't stop Rusl from getting frustrated as he was forced to shove his way through the mass of cops, EMT's, and news reporters. Not that he wasn't frustrated already; the situation in the school hadn't changed at all in the past hour since the quarterback had led the heroic escape. There hadn't been any news at all, and no communication from the inside.

But what was most frustrating was that he had no clue what this Ganondorf kid wanted. Why was he holding kids hostage? And how did he manage to put together such a large group of assailants? It didn't seem to serve any purpose. School shootings were never this intricate, never this involved, and the perpetrators were usually emotionally unstable. But not Ganondorf. Sure, he was many things; delusional, narcissistic, insane, but not emotional. He was cold, and calculating, and Rusl hated him all the more for it. He wasn't likely to make a mistake, and that meant Rusl couldn't afford to either.

When Rusl arrived at the end of the parking lot, he wasn't surprised to find Grandma Hero engaged in an intense standoff with three other officers. The disapproving glower that she reserved for the most rambunctious of hooligans was so reflective of her granddaughter that he had to pause a moment to quell the rising sense of despair for the umpteenth time that morning.

"…a care about rules and regulations!" She was shouting energetically. "You lot should be ashamed of yourselves! Taking it upon yourselves to accost a poor old lady, why, if my husband were still alive, I…! RUSL!"

Despite Rusl's obvious physical dominance over Grandma Hero and the fact that of the two of them, he was the only one carrying a weapon, Rusl still flinched as the tiny woman directed her wrath in his direction.

"RUSL SMITH, YOU CRETIN!" Grandma Hero bellowed in her scratchy yet still impressively loud voice as she hobbled in his direction.

Taking swift advantage of the momentary gap in her tirade that her movements would afford him, Rusl turned towards the three baffled men over the frail woman's head and said, "I've got it from here. Get back to work."

"You!" Grandma cried in outrage, jabbing Rusl in the chest with a surprising amount of force. "You! You call me, leave me the most terrifying message I've ever received, and then refuse to answer my calls! Do you have ANY idea what I've been through the last couple hours trying to get a hold of you?"

"Grandma," Rusl said, putting his hands up in what he hoped was a pacifying gesture, but she ran over him once more.

"Of course not! It's been a nightmare, Rusl! A NIGHTMARE! You have no idea what it's like! I've been reliving all the horrid moments of my life- the call I got when my son and son-in-law were killed in Labrynna, when my daughter got in her car accident, when my husband got his diagnosis…" Suddenly, she broke down, her domineering façade crumbling, showing the years of bottled pain she'd been hiding for so long.

"I can't… I can't go through it again, Rusl, I…"

Wordlessly, Rusl opened his arms and let the tiny woman fall into them.

"They… They're still in there, aren't they?" she managed to choke out between sobs.

"Yes… I'm so sorry…" Rusl whispered softly.

"And… And Collin?"

Rusl's throat caught painfully, and he was able to do little more than shake his head.

They stood together for a moment, Grandma Hero trembling uncontrollably, Rusl fighting in vain to keep his look of stoic calm in place, alone in the back of the high school parking lot. A sudden breeze rustled through the trees, making the branches sway and sending icy wind slicing through their thin coats, making Grandma's trembling worse than ever.

"Listen," Rusl said gruffly, "why don't you… Go visit Uli. Neither of you should be alone right now, and you can bet you'll be the first to know once we know something."

"Y-yes," Grandma Hero muttered, extracting herself from Rusl's hug. "Of course. Uli… she'll need company now, since you're busy. Of course I'll go, Rusl."

She glanced into Rusl's eyes for a moment before turning jerkily and began to walk back towards street where he assumed she'd parked.

"Grandma, there's something you should know." Rusl said, surprising both Grandma Hero and himself. She stopped walking, but didn't turn around.

"…yes?" She asked, sounding as though she was bracing for what she expecting to be horrible news.

"A couple hours ago, the quarterback led an escape from the school. He led thirty students to safety."

He hesitated before continuing, not sure if it was wise to get her hopes up when in reality, the very worst was still very much a reality.

"When we interviewed him, he… He told me that he'd been rescued. He said that… that Link saved his life and the other students' as well, and that it was because of Link that they were able to escape at all."

Grandma Hero's entire body had gone rigid, though Rusl couldn't tell what kind of effect this was having on her.

"The boy, Darunia, told me that Link refused to escape with them. He said he wouldn't leave without his sister."

The wind blew once again, but this time from the opposite direction, catching him beneath the arms as though trying to lift him into the air. Rather than the piercing chill he'd experienced before, this wind carried a subtle warmth, the promise of the approaching spring.

Grandma Hero's body seemed to sway with the trees as the wind blew past her, all the rigidity leaving her frame. Slowly, and with a surprising smile, she turned to Rusl and said softly, "Of course he did. Did you really expect anything less?"

And with that, she was gone.

* * *

"So…" Sheik drawled out slowly as he and Link walked slowly down the second floor hallway, casting around awkwardly for a topic to ease the tension in the air. "What's the story with you and that girl?"

Link shot Sheik a quizzical look. "What girl?"

"You know, that pretty blonde one. The one you gave your sweater to. Nice move by the way, very Prince Charming."

"What? That wasn't- Ugh, look, nothing's going on, alright? She just looked cold." Link said, running his fingers through his hair in frustration.

Sheik chuckled quietly, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Right. Cause you let random people borrow your favorite sweater all the time."

"Sheik…"

"Dude, just admit that you think she's hot. It's all good, I'm not gonna tell anyone-"

"Is now really the time to be talking about this?" Link cut off darkly.

Sheik sobered up instantly. "Right. Sorry, I… uh, forget it. Anyway, what do you think?"

"Think about what?" Link snapped.

"About Aryll. About getting her out of here. That is our goal, right? Get her, get Midna, get out."

Sheik took a few more steps before realizing Link wasn't following him. Turning back, he cocked his head to the side and said, "Er… Link? You alright?"

"Midna!" he said, slapping his hand to his forehead in shock. "I forgot all about her! Where is she? Is she alright? Was she-"

"Whoa, whoa, Link chill." Sheik said, waving his hands in the air. "She's fine. She's locked up in the computer lab in the Library. Ganon…" He cleared his throat roughly, feeling awkward bringing up that he'd been involved with him in the first place, "Ganon told me I could only save one person, so… I picked Midna. She's fine. We'll be able to swing by and get her as soon as we think of a way to get Aryll out."

Link sighed heavily, looking relieved, but then he looked confused and said, "Wait, why Midna?"

Sheik scowled. "What do you mean, why Midna? You think I should've picked you?"

Link snorted. "Hardly. I would've been pissed if you'd picked me over her. It's just…"

"What?"

Link smirked evilly. "Midna's kinda cute."

Sheik rolled his eyes. "You're such a douche. I thought we said this wasn't the time for that crap."

Link sighed again. "Ok then, Bourne, tell me. How do we get Aryll out. We don't even know where she is."

It was Sheik's turn to smile. He held up his fingers and counted them off. "First, we do know where she is. Principal's office, third floor. Second, never fear my friend, for I do have a plan. And third, I'm not Bourne; we're not playing assassin. If anything, this is Ocean's 11."

"Yeah, but that makes you George Clooney, which makes me Brad Pitt."

"What's wrong with George Clooney?"

"Nothing. I just don't want to be Brad Pitt."

"What's wrong with Brad Pitt?"

"He's such a pretty boy!"

"You could always be Bernie Mac."

"Ok, can we get back on topic here. How do we get her out?" Link said angrily, bringing them both back to reality.

"Well… here's what we do." Sheik said, stopping at an adjoining hall to make sure nobody was within hearing range. "Ganondorf took Aryll up to the third floor, and he's holding her hostage. Think Link. Why would Ganondorf want Aryll?"

Link scowled. "What? How the heck should I know?"

Sheik rolled his eyes. "Come on, man. Who would taking Aryll piss off most?"

"Grandma, Collin… Me, obviously, and-"

"There. You. You more than anyone else."

"Me?" Link said, "Why would Ganondorf want to piss me off?"

"Come on, Link. We know Ganon's got some sort of plan, but we don't know what it is. What we do know is that he's taken a special interest in kidnapping your sister, and we also know that you and Ganon have a history."

Sheik could see the sudden understanding dawning in Link's eyes. "Oh Din… You think he kidnapped Aryll so he could bait me into coming for him, so he could exact his revenge. But… that means that any attempt to get her out would be playing directly into his hands!"

"Not exactly." Sheik said slowly, and Link growled in frustration.

"Well, come on Clooney, what is it? What does he want?"

"Look, Ganondorf doesn't know where you are. For all he knows, you're holed up in some class somewhere, cowering like everyone else. If this were the case, you'd have no way of knowing he'd taken Aryll until someone told you."

"And?" Link said quickly.

"I know Ganon's been working on getting the security cameras up and running. I also think he was doing something with the TV's."

"TV's?"

"The ones that tell the time and junk." Sheik said impatiently, and Link nodded in understanding.

"So? Dude, what are you getting at?"

"What I'm getting at," Sheik said impatiently, "Is this: I have good news. I think Ganondorf wants to bait you, and I think he wants to exact his revenge on you by doing something to your sister, and I think he's going to broadcast it around the school on those TV's."

Link looked horrified. "How is that good news?"

"Because!" Sheik said, throwing his hands up in the air. "He's not ready yet! We have a window of opportunity! They're short staffed, and he'll have to oversee a few things himself, meaning-"

"Meaning we'll have a chance to get her out before this happens!" Link said, looking momentarily relieved before his face fell once again. "But… There'll be guards, Sheik. He's not just gonna leave a prisoner alone."

"You're forgetting one thing, mate." Sheik said with a lopsided grin.

"That… you're Captain Jack Sparrow?"

"No. Dude, I'm one of them! Not only that, I've got authority! The little people have to listen to me! We march up there, I demand they let her go, and you and I waltz on out of here with your sister in tow!"

"Sheik… I don't think they're just gonna give up their prisoner."

Sheik waved that off without hesitation. "Easy, I'll just say we're moving the prisoner to the computer lab with Midna. That way, we'll be able to pick her up, too."

"What about me? Won't it seem odd, me tagging along with you?"

"Nah. You'll be my prisoner."

Link looked less than thrilled, until Sheik said, "Dude… I think it's our only shot."

He took a deep, steadying breath, then let it out in a rush. "Alright. Lead on, Clooney."

"Aye aye, Bernie."

"I'm not Bernie Mac!"

* * *

"Are you sure you ok?"

"Zelda-"

"Because I can take over if I need to. Or one of the other girls. Just let me know if one of you is getting tired, and we can-"

"Zelda!" Malon said in exasperation, "We're fine! Anju doesn't weigh a thing, now come on!"

"Sorry!" Zelda groaned. "Ok, come on, the hall's clear, let's move."

Their procession went as follows: Zelda out in front, checking the halls ahead for movement. Directly behind her, the girls whose arms formed Anju's makeshift litter followed at a lumbering pace, trying hard to simultaneously hurry and move slowly as to not jostle her. Malon and Saria were both supporting Anju's upper torso, with her head resting on Malon's forearm. The rest of the girls followed behind, checking their trail.

Thankfully, they weren't that far from the kitchens, having already been on the ground floor. Unfortunately, that didn't help ease Zelda's nerves. After Link and Sheik had disappeared back upstairs, she'd felt noticeably less calm, and it didn't help that she felt responsible for the lives of these girls. For some reason, she'd become the unofficial leader ever since demanding that Sheik and Link go search for Aryll, a decision she was beginning to regret more and more with every corner they approached.

Finally, after an agonizing eternity, but which couldn't have been more than a minute tops, they arrived at the cafeteria.

"Ok," Zelda breathed, "This is it. We're almost there. Just… wait for my signal if it's clear, then head to the kitchen, but don't come in til I check in there too, ok?"

Malon and Saria nodded briefly, and with a hesitant gulp that she hoped nobody heard, she crept forward.

To her immense relief, the cafeteria was abandoned. Maybe it's because it was too open, but there was nobody in sight, neither helpless student or attacker. She could see from here that the single exit to the front patio was a crumpled mass of bricks and shrapnel. A few solitary rays of sunlight were peering through the cracks, but aside from dust motes, nothing could fit through them.

With a sigh, Zelda waved to the girls in the hall, then started toward the kitchen, weaving deftly through the tables, her footsteps echoing in the silence.

She stopped just before the door to peer through the small circular window. Nobody… that she could see, that is. Her hand trembling, she cautiously pushed the door open.

There was an ominous creak, but other than the buzzing of stoves and fluorescent lighting, no other sound could be heard.

The kitchen looked virtually undisturbed; no signs of violence or aggression. All of the cafeteria workers seemed to have escaped before being captured, and Zelda felt irrational loathing and jealousy towards them for it.

Turning around, she squeaked in fear before realizing that the figure standing behind her was Saria.

"The coast clear?" she whispered breathlessly.

"I… yeah, I think so. Get the girls."

With a curt nod, Saria darted back to the hallway. Zelda took a deep breath, then walked into the kitchen. When the door swung shut behind her, she felt like she was trapped in a museum. The silence felt almost oppressive. She waited until she could hear the rapidly shuffling footsteps of the girls carrying Anju coming from the cafeteria, then hurried ahead to avoid being struck by the door.

"Zelda!" Malon squealed once the girls arrived, though she was clearly winded from carrying Anju, "We made it! We're almost there! Quick, where's the back door?"

"It's over there," Zelda said, feeling the excitement coursing through her veins. They were almost out. This nightmare was almost over… for them, at least. Not for Link, or Aryll, or Kafei, or Sheik, or Midna… No, there was no time to waste worrying about them. There was nothing she could do for them. And right now, Anju, Saria, Malon, and the other girls needed her.

"Come on!" Saria said, and together the girls moved toward the back of the kitchen. The back door was situated between a large stainless steel dishwashing sink and what appeared to be a jumbo espresso machine. This door had a square, rather filthy window on it, and Zelda quickly darted forward to peer through it.

"What do you see?" one of the girls standing in the back asked.

"Police." Zelda said. "Tons of them. I think they've encircled the school. There are flashing lights everywhere."

"And? Is there anyone in the way?"

"No… I think it's a straight shot to them, across the pavement. The gate's on the left!" Zelda could almost taste freedom, it was so close… "Ok! Anju first, let's go!"

"I wouldn't do that."

Zelda froze, her blood turning to ice in her veins.

"You see, I would hate to have to shoot one of you lovely ladies. Prisoner escapes just aren't very becoming of a young woman, you see."

Slowly, Zelda turned to face the source of the voice, and felt her stomach drop. It was yet another boy from the graveyard. The one who was obsessed with purple. She didn't even bother trying to remember his name, her mind was paralyzed with fear.

He stepped forward slowly, purposefully, letting the door to the cafeteria swing close behind him with another creak. His grin was almost condescending, clearly gloating that he'd caught them before they could escape.

"W-what? How…?"

The boy snorted. "Oh please. You left a trail of blood all the way down the hall. How could I not find you?"

Lavender boy was still pacing forward, slowly closing the distance between them. Zelda found herself moving to stand directly in front of the espresso machine in order to risk a quick glance over her shoulder. The girls had frozen in shock directly in front of the door, with Saria's hand laying limply on the handle. They were almost there…

"Don't even think about it." he said coldly. "You'd be dead before you took your first step, and then who would save your poor friend?"

Something erupted inside of Zelda; a white-hot flame of rage licking at her insides. They were so close, so close, to escaping, to being free, to saving Anju… And now, at the last moment, she's stopped by him? The purple midget wonder? No. She wasn't going to fail again. She couldn't save Aryll, but she was going to save Anju, no matter what it took.

And suddenly, it hit her. She new what she had to do.

"Aw, what's wrong princess?" the boy said tauntingly. Zelda turned her head once again and made eye contact with Saria, trying desperately to somehow communicate with her through her eyes. Amazingly, her message came through, and Saria's hand tightened on the door knob.

"Really, you shouldn't frown so-"

"NOW!" Zelda screamed, and did perhaps the craziest thing she'd ever done; she tackled the boy with the gun.

Thankfully, she had surprise on her side. The boy's eyes went wide in shock as all Zelda's body crashed into him, knocking them both to the floor, the arm holding the gun trapped beneath her weight.

"GO! GO! GO!" she shouted repeatedly, and to her relief, over the frightened screams of the other girls, she heard the sound of frantic footsteps and the rusty squeal of the back door.

"NO!" the purple boy yelled, smashing his fist into Zelda's face, effectively knocking her off of him, but it was too late. By the time he'd managed to get to his feet, the girls were out the door. Zelda, her cheek throbbing, lunged forward toward the door on her hands and knees, but before she could make it more than a couple inches, she felt the boy's foot slam into her side.

She was knocked to the ground again with a wail, and through tears of pain she watched the boy, his face livid, point the gun directly at her face, his whole body trembling.

"You know…" he seethed, "There's nothing I'd love more that to kill you right now. Unfortunately, it would seem we have a shortage of prisoners. Instead I'll just have to take you to Ganondorf and let him decide what to do with you."

Already, Zelda could tell she'd rather be dead.

* * *

So! There we go. Chapter 9. I'm really hoping it turned out ok, but if not, make sure you tell me what you didn't like about it. Especially spelling mistakes and the like.

Look forward to the next chapter, guys. I can't wait to write it.

Remember, Stay Zestful,

ZC


	10. A Failed Plan

I want you guys to know, it's taken me 5 tries thus far to write this bloody thing. Every time I try to post it, Fanfiction logs me off. I've re-written this intro thing as many times, but every time I click save, it screws me over and I'm seriously getting sick of it. So on that fed-up note, here you go. I hope you like it.

Oh, and sorry for the delay.

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

**A Failed Plan  
**

"Do you seriously have to keep doing that?"

"Dude, you're supposed to be my prisoner. We gotta look the part."

"I thought that was what the duct tape was for."

"Yeah, but we can't take any chances, now can we?"

Deep down, Sheik had to admit- he was really enjoying this. With barely suppressed glee, he dug the gun into Link's back with a bit more force and barked "Keep moving!" in his most authoritative voice.

"You're getting some sort of sick pleasure out of this, aren't you?"

"Who, me? Never!" Sheik quipped.

"If we get out of this alive, I'm going to kill you…" Link muttered darkly, glowering over his shoulder.

"A touching sentiment. I feel so loved." And on that sanctimonious note, they arrived at the top of the stairs, and turned to walk down the short, garishly lit hall to the main office.

"Alright, remember the game plan. I take you in, we get Aryll, and leave. You don't make a sound, ok? You're supposed to be a prisoner. Hopefully, and if Nayru's in a good mood, all should be well." Sheik whispered as they drew near their destination, thankful the tall glass windows on either side of the door had their blinds closed.

"And? If Ganondorf IS here?"

"Then… we wing it." Sheik said simply.

"We wing it?"

"Yeah. Like in that one cowboy movie. You be Jackie Chan, and I'll be Owen Wilson."

"Dude, enough with the movie references! Seriously, we could die in the next couple minutes!"

Sheik sighed and turned face his panicked best friend. It was odd; usually, Sheik was the unstable one, and it was Link who had to be his voice of reason. "Link, calm down. Remember why we're doing this. Aryll is in there. Aryll, your little sister, is in trouble and she needs your help."

Link swallowed gruffly. "Yeah… you're right… Ok, yeah, let's do this."

"Alright," Sheik said, pushing Link forward the last few steps to the door, "Let's go."

"Wait, one more thing." Link said quickly, turning back to Sheik.

"What?"

"Why do you get to be Owen Wilson?"

Sheik laughed despite himself. "Because. I have the gun."

Reaching his hand over Link's shoulder and making sure that his gun was still pressed into his back for dramatic effect, Sheik knocked on the door. To his immense displeasure, his hands were shaking. Maybe he wasn't as relaxed as he let on…

With a gush of conditioned air, the door swung inward and they were met with the pale face of the guard.

"Sheik." he said dully, nodding in acknowledgement, his spikey Mohawk bobbing dangerously.

"Grog." Sheik replied curtly. "I've got-"

"The girl's brother, yes." Grog cut in monotonously before Sheik could finish. "Ganondorf will be pleased. He's waiting in his office."

Sheik felt his blood run cold. Great. Apparently, Nayru was NOT in a good mood. Ganondorf was here after all… Well, he knew it was a long-shot, but he could still feel the familiar pangs of despair sweeping over him. How were they gonna save Aryll now? For that matter, how was he gonna save Link?

"You've got good timing. He was about to call you. He's says you've got a problem."

"Uh… Great." Sheik said, trying hard not to lose his cool. "I'll just take him in then."

It took a bit of prodding with the pistol, but Sheik eventually got Link to move forward. His movements were stiff and jerky, and his face had gone very pale.

The office still looked pretty much the same as it did every other day, sans the receptionists. In their place was Grog and two other guys who were crashing on the starchy couches in the corner. The office contained only one other door which lead to the faculty meeting room, as well as a narrow hallway which lead to the offices for the Principal, Vice Principal, and a small storage room. Sheik could see through the window of the meeting room that the vending machines had long since been broken into and raided.

"You know where he is." Grog said simply, shutting the door softly behind them, and with a jerky nod Sheik moved on, pushing Link ahead of him.

The hallway was short, so there wasn't another opportunity to talk. But what could Sheik have said anyway? 'Hey man, sorry the plan backfired. Good luck not getting killed!' That hardly seemed appropriate. From the door of the storage room, Sheik could hear the muffled sobs of the Secretary and the Vice Principal. Or at least, he assumed it was them. He knew Principal Sahasrahla and Officer Viscen were already dead, but he didn't know if Ganondorf had decided to end the women since last he'd been here.

Sheik paused for a moment in front of the Principal's office and turned to Link. They couldn't say anything without being overheard, but Sheik tried to communicate some of his sorrow and apology through his eyes. To his surprise, Link shook his head, his eyes looking fierce and determined. 'This is it,' he was saying, 'No regrets, no turning back.'

With a resigned sigh, Sheik once again reached up to knock on the door.

"Who is it?" came a plain, level voice from inside the room.

Sakon… Sheik mentally cursed.

"Sheik." he said, willing his voice to be cold and composed. "I've got a prisoner for Ganondorf."

"Come in." This voice was loud and dominant; Ganondorf.

With a deep, steadying breath, Sheik pushed the door open.

Ganondorf sat impassively in the Principal's computer chair, his legs propped up on the desk, fiddling with a computer on his lap. When Link entered the room, his eyes seemed to sparkle malevolently. Link returned his gaze with contempt. To his right, Sakon stood against the wall, awkwardly trying to bandage his bleeding arm with his left hand. There was a large bloodstain on the floor as well as the broken remains of a police issue Walkie-talkie, but aside from that, the room looked unchanged.

"What happened to you?" Sheik asked, regarding Sakon's arm with amusement.

"I could ask you the same thing." he replied coolly. Sheik stared blankly in confusion until he remembered the bloodstains on his shirt and his torn sleeve.

"This one put up a fight." He said, shoving Link forward gruffly.

"Too much for you to handle, Sheik?" Sakon said, sounding cheeky.

Sheik was about to shoot back a retort when Ganondorf suddenly spoke up.

"Well well, Link Hero…" he said softly, setting the laptop up on the desk and leaning forward intently. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Ganondorf." Link spat.

"You know, I have someone here who's been dying to see you. Ugly little thing; I can see the family resemblance."

"You let her go, Ganondorf!" Link roared, suddenly losing his composure, his arms straining against his duck tape binding. "This is between you and me, keep her out of it!"

Ganondorf snorted derisively, entertained by his outburst. "You took years of my life away, Hero. It's only fair that I take something of yours."

Link let out a vicious snarl, but Ganondorf turned away to regard Sheik. He could feel his heart hammering in his chest as he mentally willed Link to cool it; angering Ganondorf wasn't going to help them get out of here.

"Sheik, you've done well." Ganondorf said, his eyes flashing with amusement at some secret joke. "But I'm afraid we have a small problem with our previous arrangement."

"I… don't understand." he said slowly.

"You asked me to spare your friend Midna, and I allowed you to stash her in the computer lab so that she'd stay out harms way. However, it would seem that she's taken it upon herself to stage an elaborate escape attempt."

"She… she got out?" Sheik's voice sounded strange and distant in his ears.

"Yes." Ganondorf said simply, clearly enjoying Sheik's panic. "See for yourself."

He swiftly turned the laptop to face him. There, on the screen, was a miniature black and white video clip which clearly displayed Midna creeping slowly down the hallway, the janitor close behind her.

"And, it would seem that she, along with that oaf of a janitor, are attempting to free the student's trapped in the gymnasium."

Sheik swallowed quickly. "So… then I'll just go grab her again, and this time I'll put her somewhere she can't get out."

"Mmm." Ganondorf said, smirking. "See that you hurry. I've got Zant positioned in the gymnasium, and you know how he detests disturbances."

Sheik felt his heart stop. Zant? And Midna? Together?

He didn't even so much as glance at his friend on his way out; Link was on his own now, and there was nothing he could do to help him. Sheik all but ran out of the office, Ganondorf's booming laughter hounding after him.

* * *

Ashei froze upon hearing the set of rapidly approaching footsteps echoing around the corner. Casting about desperately with her eyes, she noticed the door to a supply closet to her left. Seizing the back of Shad's collar, she quickly jerked him inside the small dark room, leaving the door cracked so she could keep watch.

With a startled wail, Shad stumbled forward and crashed noisily into shelf full of cleaning products.

"What was that for?" he squawked indignantly, grabbing hastily at bottles that had toppled over, their contents spilling onto the grimy tiled floor.

"Shh!" Ashei hissed, waving frenetically at him to shut up. "Someone's coming…"

"Can you see who it is?" he whispered, suddenly tense as he straightened his glasses and stepped closer to her, wiping his hands on his pants.

"They're not here yet." she growled in frustration, peeking out into the empty hallway.

They stood there for a moment, hunched over awkwardly in the tiny closet, silently gagging on the acrid scent of the cleaner that puddled at their feet, burning their eyes and noses. Squinting out into the hall beyond, she could hear nothing but their own panting breaths and the rapidly approaching footsteps until-

Ashei gasped.

"What? What is it?" Shad whispered frantically, silently trying to angle himself around her to get a glimpse out the door.

"It's Vaati! We found him! And he's got somebody!"

Shad cursed, stunning Ashei; she'd never heard him do that before. "He already got the kid he was looking for? Well, how are we supposed to save him?"

"Her." Ashei corrected, "And I think I have a plan…" Vaati and the blonde girl he was escorting were rapidly drawing closer, and she only had a moment before they'd pass her. Nayru, please let this work…

"Stay here, wait for your opportunity, then jump him!" she said quickly, ignoring his incredulous sputter before opening the door and stepping out.

Vaati stopped dead, clearly startled. The girl, whoever she was, lifted her head and regarded her curiously. She looked a little worse for the wear; her clothing ruffled, her hair all over the place, and her eyes bloodshot as though she'd recently been crying. She was clutching her stomach fitfully as though it were in pain, despite the fact that her hands had been bound with duct tape.

Vaati recovered quickly and turned the gun from the girl to Ashei. "Who are you? Why aren't you in a classroom?"

"I…" Ashei was having trouble thinking straight; those cleaner fumes really must have gotten to her. She knew she somehow needed to get Vaati between her and the closet so that Shad could attack him from behind. It was the only way she could think of at the moment to get him to drop the gun so they could escape with the girl. Not the best plan, admittedly, and one that was likely to fail what with Shad doing the attacking, but her befuddled brain wasn't capable of creating a better one on such short notice.

"Just… Shut up and get over there!" Vaati demanded, gesturing to the wall opposite her with his gun. Oh Din, this was perfect! He was playing right into her plans!

Silently praising the Goddesses, she made sure to carefully mask her glee. She turned and slowly walked across the hallway, trying hard not to slip on the slimy residue that had stuck to the bottom on her shoes, and placed her hands on the wall like she'd seen criminals do on Law and Order. Oddly, she felt a little lightheaded…

_Ok Shad,_ she said mentally, trying to keep her thoughts in order as Vaati cautiously approached her from behind, clearly trying to keep both her and the girl in his line of sight, _now's your chance… Don't mess this up…_

…_any time now…_

…_please?_

With a frustrated hiss, Ashei turned to glance over her shoulder, startled at the wave of dizziness that swept over her. Vaati was fumbling through the large pocket on the front of his lavender sweater, perfectly positioned for Shad to make his move, and yet the door remained closed. She could see the tiny puddle of cleaner leaking out through the bottom of the door, but other than that, there was no movement.

_I swear,_ she thought viciously, turning back to scowl at the wall, _if he's decided to climb back in to that air vent…_

Vaati suddenly let out an annoyed sigh that had her attention immediately. Holding up what appeared to be a nearly exhausted roll of duct tape in one hand, he turned to her with a wry smile and said, "Well… Looks like tying you up is out of the question."

Ashei scowled darkly. Tie her up? Oh, if that little runt thought he could even so much as lay a hand on her, she was going to-

"I guess Ganondorf will merely have to accept the fact that sometimes, casualties are to be expected."

Ashei's mind went blank with shock as the meaning of his words washed over her. She opened her mouth to protest, but oddly, no air was passing through her throat. It was as if all of her words had been trapped within her chest, which now felt oddly constricted. She could feel a cold sweat breaking out all over her body as she stared at the barrel of the boy's gun, hanging simply at his side. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the blonde girls eyes widen, horrified, and her mouth open as if to call out a warning, but everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. Leisurely, painfully so, the gun rose from his side to face her…

There was a cough from the closet.

Vaati twitched his head to the side and glanced over his shoulder, but still the door remained closed.

"So… you are not alone. Funny. I never really pegged you as a team player, Ashei."

Ashei couldn't even muster the energy to respond to his quip. Her legs were wobbling unsteadily, and she was still having trouble making herself breathe. But for the life of her, she couldn't understand why Shad wasn't coming out.

"No matter." He said with a slight shrug, turning back face her. "What is another casualty in the grand scheme of things? I will be sure to end their life next, no need to worry."

There was another cough from the closet, this one more of a hacking fit than a cough, but Ashei no longer cared. _That bloody coward…_ she though weakly, turning from the wall to face Vaati. She'd given up hope of being saved by Shad, given up hope of making it out of that goddess-forsaken school alive. She was done. This was it.

Her last though before closing her eyes was that she couldn't believe she was being done in by a runt like Vaati…

With a resounding crash, the closet door burst open, finally, revealing a red-faced Shad who was grabbing at his chest, coughing wetly, clutching in his hands a sodden rag of all things, and emitting a wave of noxious fumes that made Ashei's head spin.

"What-" Vaati managed to utter, turning his head to the sound, his face contorting as the chemical smell washed over him, but was cut off as with a roar that sounded more like a croak, Shad threw himself at the purple-haired boy.

The dripping rag was somehow forced over Vaati's mouth from behind with Shad's left hand while his right groped for the gun. In a stunned stupor, Ashei watched dumbly from the sidelines, feeling like a spectator as Shad and Vaati tussled; Shad's face red from the effort of keeping the rag pressed over Vaati's mouth and nose while simultaneously trying in vain to catch the gun that Vaati inexplicably managed to keep just out of his grasp, Shad coughing roughly all the while. Vaati's face was also beginning to turn red, though for him it was likely out of rage. His right arm was flailing about wildly, trying to keep the gun out of Shad's grasp. His other hand was groping blindly behind him, clawing for Shad's face. All the while, both boys were slipping and sliding, trying to keep their footing through the puddle of cleaner on the floor.

Suddenly, Vaati whipped his head backward violently, and with a dull crack she heard Shad's nose break, sending little drops of blood spattering everywhere. To Shad's credit, he miraculously managed to keep rag pressed to Vaati's face, but he let go of Vaati's gun arm as he staggered backward, losing his balance and slipping on the wet floor, dragging Vaati down on top of him.

There was a sudden bang, and Ashei let out an agonized scream as white-hot pain lanced through her thigh, her vision going black. When next she opened her eyes she was laying on the floor, not knowing how she got there, both hands clutching fitfully at her left leg as she stared through blurry, tear filled eyes at the red that was now blossoming through her jeans.

The pain was like nothing she had ever felt before; it was as though someone had stabbed a red-hot knife into her leg, straight into the bone, and had decided to twist in around in circles for the fun of it. Willing herself not to scream out again, she clenched her eyes shut and bit her lip so hard she drew blood, aware that despite her best efforts, tears and sobs were still leaking out of her.

After a moment, she realized she couldn't hear any other sounds. Wrenching her eyes open and blinking through the tears, she could see the crumpled mass that was Vaati and Shad lying in the middle of the floor; Vaati completely still, his face white as a sheet and his eyes rolled back into his head, Shad struggling to rise, still coughing intensely.

When his eyes fell on her they bulged, and he scrambled on hands and knees across the slippery floor to reach her.

"Ashei!" he gasped, his voice sounding raspy and hoarse. "What- *cough cough* -happened? *Cough* Are you- *cough*- …can you-?"

"What do you think happened…" She managed to cut in, snarling weakly, only now realizing how short of breath she was. "Maybe if someone had decided to help me out a little sooner…"

"I couldn't." He started, shaking his head anxiously before he was seized by another coughing fit. "You don't realize what you-*cough cough*-did when you shoved me-*cough*- into the closet! Those cleaners we spilled…"

This time he doubled over, clutching his knees with knuckles that were white from strain as he apparently attempted to hack up his lung, though the rest of his hands seemed to be red and puffy. His face was covered in blood that was still gushing from his swollen nose, and his glasses were snapped clean in two and hanging from one ear. All in all, he looked about as bad as her leg currently felt.

"Um… excuse me…" came a timid voice from over Shad's shoulder, and for the first time Ashei remembered that there had been another girl there the entire time.

"If you cut my hands free, I think I can help you…" she said, gesturing lamely with her hands that were still bound together with duct tape, though the tips of her fingers could still wiggle with some freedom.

"Oh!" said Shad suddenly, rising up on unsteady legs. "Right. Of course. Um…*cough* There ought to be something in that closet that I can use… *cough cough* If you wouldn't mind getting it while I move Ashei away from the stuff on the floor. Also, don't-*cough*-breathe while you're in there. The air is toxic right now."

Both the girl and Ashei sent Shad peculiar looks, but before she could question him he'd seized her by her arms and started dragging her backward.

The sudden movement of her injured leg sent bolts of pain arching up her leg and made her whimper in the most pathetic way imaginable, but at the moment she couldn't care less about her image; she had a freaking bullet in her leg, for Din's sake! Still, it irked her when Shad sent her that apologetic look. She didn't need pity from some geek, especially not one who had decided to wait before coming to her rescue at the last possible moment…

By the time the girl had retuned with a pair of scissors pinched tightly in her fingertips and a first aid kit she must have found in the closet tightly wedged between her stomach and her arms, Shad had managed to take her a good twenty yards down the hall, well away from the closet and the scent of cleaner and leaving an impressive trail of blood from her leg as well as spatters of droplets from Shad's ruined nose. His coughing seemed to have improved a great deal, but his breathing was still ragged. He'd managed to prop her up against a wall before turning to accept the first aid kit from the girl.

"What did you do to that guy back there?" She asked quietly as together she and Ashei watched Shad fumble with the catch on the stark white metal box. His hands had grown even puffier, and he was apparently having trouble making his digits work.

"I… ah, ow… sorry, it's just… my hands…" His face was still red, but Ashei had the distinct impression that now it was due to embarrassment rather than strain. He coughed again; a wet, hacking cough that made him sound like he had emphysema.

"Here," Ashei said irritably, snagging the scissors from the girl and cutting through the tape that bound her wrists. "Let blondie here do it."

"Yeah…" Shad said, frowning as the girl's newly liberated hands opened the kit with ease. "Ok, you work on her, I'm gonna go wash my hands."

And with that, he once again struggled to his feet and set off down the hall, presumably in the direction of the bathroom just around the corner.

"You didn't have to do that…" The blonde girl whispered softly once Shad had vanished from sight, his coughs fading off into the distance.

"Do what?" Ashei groaned quietly, leaning back as the girl began using the scissors to cut away her pant leg directly above the bullet hole. Thankfully, it was midway from her hip to her knee, else she might have some compunction against Shad looking at her. Not that she was a prude; she just didn't like nerds checking her out, and Volleyball had given her some nice legs.

"Rescue me." She said, wincing slightly as she examined the now uncovered wound. The entire area around the hole was read and puffy, with blood still leaking out around the edges of the raged opening. The inside of her leg looked a lot like meatloaf, she decided. Just more pink and red; it was a good thing she wasn't squeamish.

"Sure we did." Ashei replied, waving her hand through the air dismissively in an attempt to hid her pain, though she was surprised at how weak she felt. "We overheard Vaati earlier saying that Ganondorf wanted this one student in particular, and we knew that once he got them, the rest of us were done for. So me and Shad followed him to stop him from getting them, and Linebeck and Midna went after-"

"Midna?" The blonde girl said, startled, dropping the wad of gauze she'd been holding.

"Uh… Yes?"

"You mean she's ok?"

"The last I saw…" Ashei said slowly, not wanting to get the poor girl's hopes up too much incase something had happened to the small gothic girl and the hapless janitor since they'd last been together. Still, she seemed happy to hear it, and her posture slumped slightly as she let out a relieved sigh.

"So… Midna and… Linebeck, was it? Where'd they go?"

"They went to go stop this freak from shooting up the gym. I don't know if they've managed it or not, but I haven't heard any gunfire lately, so…"

The girl nodded, looking troubled as she riffled through the contents of the box.

"Still, at least me and Shad managed to thwart Ganon's master plan. If only we could see the look on that demented mug of his…" Ashei said, trying to sound cheerful about their accomplishment, but the massive hole in her leg seemed to be sucking all of the joy out of her.

"Oh…" The girl said turning hesitantly from Ashei's leg, "That's not entirely true…"

"Huh?"

The girl sighed, her shoulders drooping slightly within the overly-large green hoodie she was wearing. "See… I'm not the person Ganondorf wants. I was only being taken to see him because I'd helped a bunch of girls escape through the kitchen and Vaati said they didn't have enough prisoners to waste killing one."

"But…" Ashei said, the joy of success turning to cold horror in her chest. "Then… who is he looking for…?"

"Actually," she cut in gently, "I think he already got her." Ashei groaned, letting her eyes close and her head fall back, thudding painfully against the brick wall behind her.

"Do you know who it was?" she asked softly, feeling the bitter taste of failure settle in her mouth.

"Yeah… Aryll Hero…"

She felt her eyes shoot back open. "Wait, Link Hero's little sister?"

The girl merely nodded, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes, but Ashei merely sighed and let her eyes close again. Inwardly, she was praying Link had decided to escape rather than keep looking for her, because it was too late now. Ganondorf had gotten what he wanted. They were doomed. All of them.

But… if that were true, then… why were they all still alive? What did he want Link's little sister for anyway? Why was she so important?

"What we really need…" the girl mused softly after a few moments of pained silence, "is some water so we can wash this before I try to bandage it."

"Got that covered." Came Shad's scratchy voice from a short distance down the hall. Jogging quickly to meet them, he sunk to his knees beside the girl and held out numerous wet paper towels. His hands were still just as red and puffy as ever, but he seemed to have stopped coughing. He was panting heavily though, as if that short jog had winded him.

"It's the best I could do…" he said softly, grimacing as he noticed Ashei's wound for the first time.

"It'll be fine." The girl said, taking them and gently mopping up the blood around the hole.

"So, you never told us your name." Ashei said for lack of anything else to say. It was taking supreme effort not to wince with every touch of her especially tender leg, though the coolness of the water felt good.

"Oh!" The girl said, blushing slightly and offering an embarrassed smile. "I'm Zelda Nohanson. I actually just moved here. This was my second day of school."

Shad whistled hollowly, and Ashei grunted with dark amusement. "That sucks."

"Yeah, well…" she muttered, tossing the red stained paper towels to the floor and pulling out a cotton swab and a bottle of iodine, "Aside from the guns and shooting and death, the school doesn't seem half bad."

Shad chuckled softly. Ashei hissed in spite of herself as Zelda started rubbing the brown liquid around the wound.

"Sorry," she whispered hastily. Gathering a ball of gauze, she placed it gingerly over the hole and then started to wind something cottony and white tightly around her leg. Ashei kept her jaw clenched tightly shut and refused to make a sound, all too aware of the tears still leaking from her eyes.

"Actually, I've already made a couple friends. Midna, Anju and Kafei, Link, Aryll…" She stumbled over the last name, then bit her lip, looking grieved.

"And now, us." Said Shad with a cheeky grin, and to Ashei's surprise, Zelda returned it tremulously.

"Yeah… Thank you. You saved my life."

Shad blushed profoundly, but Ashei snorted and said, "Yeah. I got shot, and he spilled cleaner everywhere. Fantastic heroes we are."

"Yeah, what was that anyway?" Zelda asked, busting out the medical tape to secure the cotton bandage, only adding to Ashei's discomfort.

"Chlorine Gas." He replied nonchalantly.

Zelda and Ashei stared.

Shad frowned. "What?"

"_Chlorine Gas?_" Ashei said incredulously, "Are you freaking kidding me? What are you, Bill Nye the Science Guy?"

"How did you make chlorine gas?" Zelda said, giving Shad a troubled look as she finished taping Ashei's leg.

"Actually, it was an accident. When Ashei shoved me into the closet, I knocked a bunch of cleaner onto the floor and the spilled everywhere. Well, chlorine gas is technically simple to make; just mix bleach with ammonia, both of which are common ingredients in most cleaning products."

"How do you know that?" Ashei said, mildly disturbed at this suspicious bit of news.

"It's common knowledge." He replied defensively, sounding a little offended at her tone. "People are all the time accidentally mixing the two and end up getting hospitalized with various complications."

"Ok, ok, fine." Ashei said, throwing her hands up in the air. "Whatever. That doesn't explain why you felt the need to use Mustard Gas to take out the Lavender Wonder."

"Chlorine Gas." Shad corrected, "And like I said, it was mostly an accident. By the time you'd gotten Vaati positioned so that he wasn't facing the door, I was starting to get really dizzy and I couldn't figure out why. That's when I noticed the labels on the bottles that were spilled, and realized what was happening."

"So… you decided to try an impromptu science experiment. You realize that if you'd just tackled him like I'd told you to, none of _this_ might have happened!" She spat angrily, gesturing at her bandaged leg. She wasn't entirely sure why she was blaming her injury on Shad, but at the moment she didn't care; she needed to take out all her pent up aggression on someone, and he seemed the best candidate.

"Look," Shad snapped, raising his voice for the first time she could remember, "There was no guarantee that I would have been able to get that gun away from Vaati, and if I'd messed up, you'd be dead right now. So I'm sorry that I decided to play to my strengths and go with chemistry rather than brute force, but it worked didn't it? You're still alive, aren't you? I dumped the rest of the two bottles into the mop bucked and soaked a rag in the stuff, then used it to knock out Vaati, because I knew it had a better shot at working than wrestling him did!"

Even with his broken nose making his voice all nasally, he still sounded scathing. Ashei found herself struggling to sit up a little straighter, inhaling deeply so as to give Shad a piece of her mind, when suddenly Zelda cut in.

"Um… I though mixing bleach and ammonia made stuff blow up." From the look on her face, she was apparently trying to ease the tension by changing the flow of the conversation.

Shad stared at her in surprise, looking as though he'd forgotten she was even there. Ashei settled back against the wall, folding her arms and looking thunderous.

"It… Well, yes, it can explode if mixed incorrectly…"

"So how'd you know how to mix it? That's pretty impressive."

Shad opened his mouth then closed it, looking uncomfortable. Ashei snorted. Of course, she thought bitterly, just go on feeding his ego…

"I didn't." he said finally, his voice sounding oddly quiet, if still a little raspy. "It was too dark in the closet to see much anyway. I just guessed..."

Zelda looked stunned. "So, wait… You willingly mixed two chemicals together, knowing that at any moment they could explode in your face and kill you?"

Shad shrugged uncomfortably.

"Is that what happened to your hands? And your throat?"

He licked his lips hesitantly than said, "The gas burns your esophagus and eventually causes lung paralysis and potentially death. That's why I sound the way I do. As for my hands… well, the chemicals can be caustic sometimes…"

Ashei's jaw dropped.

"Are you… Are you gonna be ok? You breathed a lot of that stuff in…" Zelda said, sounding horrified.

"I should be fine," he said, swallowing gruffly. The act looked especially painful. "It hurts to breathe and all, but I'm still able to function. I mean, I don't think I can run… But I couldn't run very far to begin with."

He offered up a weak smile at his own attempt at humor, and Ashei felt her heart lurch. He'd done that for her? Risked his life, his lung function, and severely burned his hands all because she had decided to play the hero? And here she was, yelling at him… Something sickeningly close to guilt began settling in her gut.

"Why didn't you just tackle him?" she whispered softly. "Both ways had risks, but at least you wouldn't be…"

He shrugged, averting his gaze. "Well, I just figured I'd rather bet my life on science than on strength. I mean, who in there right mind would stake their life on me in a wrestling match anyway?"

Ashei punched his arm lightly, but smiled at him warmly all the same. Maybe he wasn't so bad, for a geek…

"Ok," Zelda said, cutting their brief bonding moment short. "You two really need to get out of here."

"But the-"

"Ganondorf's still got-"

"No!" Zelda cut off sternly, fixing them both with an authoritative gaze. "Ashei, I did the best I could, but I'm hardly a specialist. You're still likely to bleed to death soon without medical help."

Ashei glowered at her bitterly, but she couldn't deny that fact. She could barely move without spots of color blooming in front of her eyes, and she'd already lost a lot of blood…

"And Shad, you've said yourself that that gas has burned your throat and lungs. You need medical attention too. The last thing we need is for your lungs to give out."

Shad opened his mouth to argue, probably to explain the actual steps that would lead up to that happening, but Zelda cut him off.

"No, no excuses. The both of you are getting out of here, now."

"Really?" Said Ashei sarcastically, "You wouldn't happen to have an exit in the pocket of that hoodie of yours now would you?"

"No," Zelda said, answering the question as though it were a legitimate query, "But I do know that the kitchen has a back door. That's how I got the other girls out. I'll take you there now."

Shad and Ashei exchanged surprised looks, then quickly agreed.

Getting Ashei up was a laborious process. She was much weaker than she had thought, so she wasn't able to lend much help to the effort, and with Shad's difficulty breathing and muscle weakness, most of the work was dumped on Zelda. Still, after a couple minutes of strenuous tugging and incredible jolts of pain for Ashei, they managed to get her up, one of her arms around each of their shoulders.

"Ok," she panted, trying in vain to stave off the wave of nausea that had seized her the minute she was elevated, "Lead on, blondie, Captain Kirk. Let's get out of this place…"

"Which way?" Shad gasped, wheezing heavily.

"Straight. Past the closet. It's right beside the cafeteria."

"Right…" he gasped. "I knew that…"

Ashei and Zelda exchanged worried glances.

"Shad… are you gonna be ok?"

"'course." he replied. "I have to be, so I will be."

"Ok…" Zelda said cautiously. "We'll take it easy then. Come on."

"Wait," Ashei said as they passed Vaati's body, still laying pitifully on the floor. "Shouldn't we tie him up or something?"

Together they regarded Vaati, his body crumpled in a broken heap, his hair and clothing damp from the deluge of chemicals that had spilled on the floor. His face was pale, even for him, and his eyes were still showing all whites. She couldn't tell if he was breathing or not. The rag that Shad had used to knock him out lay discarded a few feet away, but the gun was still clenched tightly in his hand.

Shad was silent for a moment, then said, softly, "…When Vaati wakes up… If he ever wakes up… He likely won't be in a fit state to do much of anything for a while…"

Despite what he had just put them through, she couldn't bring herself to be happy with that pronouncement. Zelda tore her eyes away from the boy, looking ill. Shad had his eyes shut tightly, and was trembling in a way that Ashei could tell had nothing to do with the gas.

Squeezing his shoulder in what she hoped would be taken in a reassuring way, she gave him a small, sad smile, then whispered, "You did what you had to, Shad."

Sighing tremulously, he gave short, curt nod, then tore his gaze away from Vaati.

And on that note, they continued on.

* * *

Linebeck, Midna had decided, was not most reassuring of companions.

"Oh, Farore, this is madness, total madness, they could be anywhere, behind every door, around every corner, waiting with their guns and their creepy little eyes, waiting to kill us, waiting to pounce on us like the bloodthirsty savages they are, ah… Why didn't I listen to mother and go to college, meet a nice girl, get married, have a couple kids, the kind who wouldn't grow up into sociopaths or join cults or shoot up their schools and…"

He'd been managing a steady stream of moans and complaints ever since the two of them had left the library, following Zant to the gym. Normally, their journey would have only taken a minute or two, but the second floor had considerably more shooters than the first, and numerous times they had found themselves ducking into abandoned classrooms or bathrooms to avoid passing sentries. Couple this with Linebeck's dragging feet and Midna's own overwhelming sense of panic that was inwardly screaming for her to listen to the ranting of the portly custodian and make a break for it, and it made for one terribly slow progression.

Still, they'd managed to make it to the stairwell not too much later, and were even now creeping carefully down the main hallway to the gym. Not that this made Midna feel any better. If anything, her heart was pounding louder than ever, and her limbs were trembling. The door was just a little further down the hall… she could see it, drawing nearer…

"…can't believe I've been dragged into this! You children, always so bossy, telling the older generation what to do, parading around like you know something, dressing like a vampire, dying your hair bizarre colors, and for what? Only to die in some pathetic educational institution because you've all lost control of your hormones-"

Midna felt something inside of her snap.

"Linebeck!" Midna said in exasperation, whirling around to face him, her eyes blazing. "Shut up! For once in your pathetic, wasted existence, just SHUT UP!"

Linebeck had flinched when she'd turned on him, but now stared at her, red-faced and indignant, his chest swelling like a bullfrog.

"No!" he said, drawing himself to his full height, which wasn't much, and placing his hands on the hips of his grey, wrinkled jumpsuit. "No! I've had enough of you and your little friends bossing me around all the time! I'm the grown-up here, and I deserve some respect! It's time you did what I say for a change!"

"The _grown up?_" she sneered scathingly, making him scowl. "What are you, five? How about I start giving you respect once you earn it? Stop acting like a child, pissing and moaning about how unfair life is and actually _do_ something for once! I thought you said you were a soldier before coming here! So come on, show me some of that war expertise and help me save those students so we can all get out of here in one piece!"

Linebeck crossed his arms sourly and muttered something incoherent.

"I'm sorry," Midna said in a falsely sweet voice, "I didn't catch that."

"I said…" he took a deep, steadying breath, "I wasn't a soldier."

Midna threw her hands up in the air. "Unbelievable. That's just fantastic. Are you actually good for anything other than making up lies and cleaning floors? Scratch that, just the lies; these floors are filthy."

"It wasn't a total lie." He said flatly, fixing her with a stern look. "I was a sailor. My father had been a famous Captain in Labrynna, and they'd named a steamship after him; the S.S. Linebeck. I served on that ship for a number of years, and I left the service after the war. So yes, missy, I do know a thing or two about hostile situations. And what I know is that I want nothing to do with them ever again. If you'd seen half the things I've seen-"

He bit his last sentence off short, and turned away, huffing.

"So? You're going to leave who knows how many students to their deaths, knowing that you could have done something to stop it?"

Linebeck scowled at her, but said nothing. A moment passed by, then another, and silence reigned in the hallway. Finally, he let out a defeated sigh, his shoulder slouching comically.

"Ok, ok, you're right… Not that there's anything I think we can do anyway, but the only exit is in the gym, and I'm just as likely to be killed trying to find another one. Lead on, sparky."

Midna grimaced, both at his attitude and at his newest pet name, but she accepted it anyway. It was likely the best she was going to get from him. On both counts.

Sighing, she seized his arm in one hand and, turning, tugged him down the hall to the closest entrance to the gym. A little ways down the hall to the right, and they'd find the cafeteria, which she was sure would be crawling with people. To the left, the student parking (the exit to which she could see was a misshapen heap of bricks and twisted metal), as well as the locker rooms and the offices for the coaches. It was too much to hope that any of the faculty were still there; in all the rooms they'd passed, the teachers had either been cowering in the corner with the students, or conspicuously absent. It didn't bode well for what she was sure she'd find in the gym.

Reaching the wide, grey metal double doors, she paused and motioned Linebeck closer.

"You said the stands were closed?" she whispered softly, her heart threatening to burst from her chest now that they were so near to their destination.

"Sort of." He muttered, looking pale and sweaty. "They're partially open, but they only extend about six feet from the wall. Why? You thinking of climbing them? I don't think you'd get very far without getting spotted and shot down like that arcade game with the ducks."

"No," she said, thinking quickly, not even trying to puzzle out what he was talking about. "But maybe we can sneak behind them without being spotted. It'll give us time to check out the situation before we try something."

"Yes," he said, sounding strangled. "Right. Ok. Let's go with your plan."

Reaching out an unsteady hand, she seized the cold metal handle in her sweaty grip and hesitantly cracked the door open. To her immense relief, the hinges didn't squeak; maybe Linebeck wasn't a completely hopeless janitor. Leaning forward, she carefully peered into the room beyond.

The gym was eerily quiet. The silence felt stiff and unnatural, almost oppressive as it forced itself upon Midna. The gymnasium's lights were blazing at their highest capacity, illuminating its occupants in stark clarity. From her awkward vantage point, she could make out the forms of what looked like forty or so figures laying every which way, all facedown on the waxy floor, none of which were moving.

Midna felt her breath catch. Were they too late? Had they taken too long? Were the lives of forty innocent students now lost because she'd let fear rule her actions? She could feel the rising sense of sorrow beginning to overwhelm her when a movement on the other side of the gym caught her attention.

There were three figures moving about by the gym's far wall. The first two, one tall with broad shoulders, the other short and squat, began moving about the bodies on the floor, occasionally nudging one of them with their shoe, but otherwise making no other motion. The last figure, lanky and bald, stood talking animatedly into an object in his hand. Though he was too far away to hear properly, Midna knew; it was Zant.

"What's going on?" Linebeck hissed, making Midna jump. She'd forgotten he was there.

"Um, there's…" She swallowed gruffly, trying in vain to steady her nerves, "uh, about forty students in there. They're all laying on the floor though. I can't tell if…"

She trailed off, not willing to admit the possibility that they had failed.

"How many guns?" He asked quietly, seeming to understand what she was feeling.

"Three." she said, taking a deep breath.

"Well, we can't just give up now that we're so close." He said resolutely, making Midna stare at him, flummoxed. Was Linebeck really showing guts? She was almost impressed…

"So go ahead! You make your move towards the bleachers, and I'll stay here and keep watch."

Of course, she thought wryly. Fixing Linebeck with a contemptuous look, he responded with his most winning smile. From somewhere down the hall, there came the sound of a gunshot and a scream of pain. Groaning, he relented, muttering "Fine, fine, let's do this already…"

Peeking into the gym once more, she made sure that they had a clear shot to the space behind the bleachers before turning to watch the guards. Zant was still standing by the wall, cackling madly for some odd reason, though he was facing the outside exit. The other two were heading back to him, facing away from her door. Realizing that this might be her only chance, she seized Linebeck's sleeve and quietly slipped inside.

The air conditioners were on at full blast for some odd reason, and as soon as she entered, she felt the chill seep through her black sweater, sending goose bumps all up and down her arms. Darting forward, she fell to her knees and slid the last couple of feet on the wood paneled floor to the relative safety that was the filthy underside of the bleachers.

She turned to tell Linebeck off for being a horrible janitor, but her voice died in her throat. Linebeck had stumbled and fallen onto the floor almost as soon as he'd entered the gym, and was lying in plain sight of everyone in the gym. Quickly scrambling to his feet, he hurried over to join her, but it was too late; the damage was done.

"Hey! You two!" Barked a deep, authoritative voice, and Midna felt her heart stop for the umpteenth time that day; clearly, if she lived through this day, she was going to have a major arrhythmia, though that probably wasn't going to be a problem since living didn't seem like a very likely option. Squeezing her eyes shut, she silently prayed to all three goddesses for help, for safety, for something…

"What are you staring at?"

Midna's eyes popped back open. That was the same voice that had called out! Who was he talking to? Had he not seen Linebeck after all?

Quickly and quietly, she picked her way closet to the wall of bleachers that separated her from the rest of the gym and tried her best to catch a glimpse of what was happening through one of the narrow spaces between stands.

The tall, broad shouldered gunman had accosted one of the students and was now holding him up in the air by the front of his shirt with one hand. Whoever he was, he had some seriously impressive muscles, and Midna might have found him attractive if it wasn't for the ridiculous green neckerchief he had tied around his throat and the long black ponytail he seemed to be fond of that reached down to his lower back. And the whole homicidal maniac thing, of course.

"Well?" Spat the voice again, and Midna realized it wasn't ponytail boy who was talking, but the shorter one. Midna couldn't see anything other than the top of his head through the crack.

"Answer me!" he said, backhanding the boy across the face, and Midna was shocked to realize that the mop of curly red hair belonged to Mido, one of Aryll's friends.

"I-It was nothing!" He said frantically, rubbing at his cheek and looking terrified. "I was just moving my neck around cause it's all stiff!"

Midna felt her heart go out to him; he had obviously seen them sneak in and was trying to cover for them.

The shorter boy snorted derisively and said, "Yeah, right. And you too, pretty boy? Were you also flexing your neck?"

With a grunt, the shorter boy heaved another one of the students to his feet, this one with neatly combed brown hair. He looked every bit as terrified as Mido, and he was holding a flute of all things protectively to his chest. He must have been in the band room when the attack had started.

The boy's jaw was quivering, but he didn't say anything, even when the shorter boy decided to backhand him as well. Ponytail had set Mido down by this point, and Midna could barely see more than his curly head, though he was obviously being held against ponytails chest, the boy's gun trained against his temple.

"Look, either you talk, or I take that bloody flute of yours and use it for target practice!"

The flute boy stared at the shorter of the two attackers in horror, holding the flute behind his back as if damaging it would be worse than if they damaged him.

Zant's high pitched voice cut in from across the gym. "What are you children squabbling about?" He then giggled, sending chills down Midna's spine.

"These two were staring at something, and they won't tell me what it is!"

The sound of Zant's footsteps drawing nearer had Midna going into full-out panic mode. She could hear Linebeck's frantic panting behind her, and she was thankful he had decided to stop his mantra of moaning.

"Really Arrghus? Byrne? Do I honestly have to do everything for you two?" Zant said softly, and the two boys glanced at each other looking annoyed.

Finally entering Midna's line of sight, she felt the familiar pangs of revulsion upon seeing his pale skin, stretched taught over his skull, his wide, staring eyes, glimmering with the light of the madness he was so fond of showcasing, and his numerous tattoos that covered his body. He had a small smile on his face, which seemed completely incongruous with the atmosphere.

"Well…" Said the shorter boy, sounding slightly offended, "Of course not. It's just-"

"If you want to get results, Arrghus," Zant said patiently, "you need to put some effort into it."

And then, without any warning at all, he lifted his arm and shot the boy with the flute.

Midna slapped her hands over her mouth to keep from screaming. The boy's eyes were wide as he fell, the bullet hole hidden in his now ruffled hair, the flute still held gripped tightly in his hand. There was a heavy thud where he fell, as well as a hollow thunk from the metal instrument, and Midna was grateful that she couldn't see the ground where he had fallen.. Blinking away the tears that had threatened to overwhelm her, she forced herself to keep watching.

Mido had bellowed when the gun rang out, and now stood rigidly in Byrne's grip, his face a distinct shade of green. Byrne for that matter looked aggravated; his arms had gone very stiff, and his red-rimmed eyes looked troubled. Arrghus was chuckling darkly to himself, but Zant continued to stare calmly, that small smile still apparent on his face, his eyes still wide and childlike.

"Now then, Ginger," Zant said, giggling slightly at the name before continuing, "Let's try this again. What was it you were staring at?"

To Mido's credit, he kept his mouth shut tightly, but he couldn't stop his eyes from glancing in the direction of where Midna and Linebeck were hiding.

Zant followed his gaze, and with a look of wonder exclaimed, "They're here?"

Midna exchanged quizzical looks with Linebeck. Who was here? He couldn't have possibly known that-

Zant suddenly started cackling madly, doing an impromptu jig on the spot, turning to point his finger at the spot where Midna was standing. "Oh Midna… Come out, come out, wherever you are! Oh, and that stupid janitor, bring him too!"

Midna's jaw dropped, her heart pounding furiously in her chest. How? How had he known? There was no way he'd seen them… and even if he had, he wouldn't have gone through that whole charade of questioning Mido and murdering that poor boy just to keep up a ruse.

In her moment of hesitation, Zant had sighed dramatically and trained his gun at Mido's chest. "Come out now, or I kill the Ginger." His voice had changed from the childish tone to one that was more savage, but he kept giggling and swaying back and forth.

"Ok!" Midna found herself calling out desperately, her voice sounding hoarse. Slowly, with mind-numbing fear gnawing at her insides, she stepped out from behind the bleachers, Linebeck in tow. She kept her hands clenched fearfully at her sides, but Linebeck's were held up in the air as though he were a prisoner of war, surrendering.

She had the strangest feeling that she was walking to the gallows. Her every step was heavy, her every breath seemed frantic, as though her lungs knew that at any moment that breath could be her last, and were trying to catch up on the lifetime of breathing that she would miss out on. Her heart, likewise, was pounding in her chest for all she was worth. She could feel Zant's eyes on her, judging, weighing, caressing, but she kept her gaze averted and instead focused on anything but him.

Mido's face looked apologetic, but she didn't blame him for accidentally giving them up. The last thing she wanted was another death on her hands. Carefully, she resisted looking at the boy with the flute. Byrne regarded her with calculated eyes, though he still seemed troubled by something, and he was every bit as large and muscular as he had seemed. Arrghus was sneering at her, silently enjoying their triumph, his portly visage quivering with glee.

Letting her gaze sweep to the rest of the students, she was surprised to see a large number of teachers in the room, scattered amongst the students. Mr. Oshus, the elderly marine biology teacher, met her gaze sadly, seeming to see and understand the pain she was feeling for the boy with the flute and silently mourning with her. Coach Nabooru looked furious, likely at her inability to protect the students, and was snarling up at Zant with barely contained fury blazing in her verdant eyes. To her left, her assistant Jolene lay with her head on her arms, looking lost, her gaze unfocused, as if she were trying hard to imagine she was anywhere but where she was.

"Well, well, well…" Zant said softly once Midna and Linebeck had stopped just a few feet away from him. "I think I'm a little disappointed, Midna. THAT was your plan?"

He cackled madly, his eyes opening even wider. Midna swallowed and leaned backward; she'd always known Zant wasn't all there, but he seemed to be even more insane than usual. He was dangerously close to losing his grip on reality.

"W-what?" she asked, genuinely confused. Her voice sounded like a frog, her windpipe threatening to constrict. Linebeck was trembling silently beside her, his face as pale as a sheet.

Zant sighed theatrically, clearly enjoying himself. "Ganondorf called me." He held up a Walkie-talkie, and Midna suddenly realized what she'd seen him talking to against the wall earlier. "He told me that a certain birdy had decided to break out of their cage, and that she, along with that oaf of a janitor, were following me. Cameras." He added upon noting her shock.

Midna felt her heart sink. Cameras… how had she forgotten about the security cameras? Of course Ganondorf would have control of them, meaning that no matter the situation, they never would have managed to rescue the students in the gym… they doomed from the get-go, and likely so were Shad and Ashei if Ganondorf could merely radio Vaati and tell him he was being followed. He really had thought of everything.

"Still, if you were trying to save these students, you screwed up majorly." And he cackled once more.

"You're a monster." She spat, and he shrugged, his grin turning into a sinister smile that showed all of his pointed yellow teeth.

"Perhaps. But you're a fool. And now you, the fat guy, the ginger, and every other person in the room is going to die."

Byrne stiffened almost imperceptivity, but Zant caught the movement, and turned to stare at the hulking boy with a glower. "What?"

"Ganondorf told us that none of the students were to be killed if it could be avoided. We've lost too many captives as it is. He hasn't rescinded that order."

Byrne's voice was quiet but powerful, seeming to rumble from somewhere deep inside his barrel-like chest.

"What Ganondorf doesn't know won't hurt him. Besides, there weren't near as many cheerleaders in here as I had hoped, and I'm bored…" Zant pouted, looking for all the world like a petulant child.

"Ganondorf promised Sheik her safety." Byrne added, and to Midna's shock he actually looked concerned. For her, for Sheik, or for Ganondorf's orders not being obeyed?

At his comment, Zant snorted. "Sheik? Sheik is a sentimental coward. Well you know what? I didn't join up to help Ganondorf with whatever he's planning, like Vaati, or because I can't think for myself, like Sakon, or because I'm a useless rat, like-"

"Like who, exactly?" came a soft voice from somewhere behind her.

Midna felt her heart soar. Whirling around to the door she had entered, he was met with what was, in her opinion, the most wonderful sight in the world. Sheik strode in calmly, his hands stuffed in his pockets, the outline of a gun showing through clearly in his jacket pocket. But despite the fact that he was technically 'one of them', she could still feel the inexplicably reassuring sense that as long as he was there, she was safe.

To her side, Linebeck groaned. No doubt all he saw was another attacker. Mido's eyes seemed to bulge and he silently mouthed, incredulously, '_Sheik?'_

Zant didn't look the least bit abashed. "Why, if it isn't Sheik. What a pleasant surprise."

"Sheik." Byrne said calmly, though he looked a little relieved at his presence. Sheik returned the greeting with a not. Arrghus merely grunted sourly.

"So…" Sheik drawled lazily, coming to a stop beside Byrne and clapping the boy on the shoulder in a familiar way. "Is there some sort of a problem here?"

The atmosphere suddenly grew tense, and lightening seemed to crackle between Zant and Sheik's eyes. They were standing about three feet apart from each other, with Arrghus on Zant's left side, glaring at Sheik with barely repressed venom. Across from Arrghus, Byrne stood on Sheik's right, still holding Mido, examining the situation tensely. Midna and Linebeck stood between Byrne and Arrghus, a step or two outside of the ring of males.

"It's none of your business, Shadow." Zant said, his voice sounding savage again. "I was given charge of the gym. Aren't you supposed to be on the second floor?"

"I was." He said simply, his red eyes seemingly devoid of emotion, "But then Ganondorf informed me that there was an… escapee… here with you. I was sent to reclaim her."

"Fine!" Zant spat, his mood changing rapidly, looking comically furious with his eye twitching. "Fine! Take your stupid girlfriend! Just get out of here and leave me to my business!"

Sheik nodded with mock graciousness and gestured to Midna, who took it as a cue to leave. Turning on the spot, she took a step towards the door, barely daring to believe she was going to be spared, but froze in her tracks when Zant suddenly shrieked "STOP!"

"The agreement was only for the girl. The janitor stays with me."

Midna hadn't even noticed that Linebeck had moved as if to follow her. Linebeck had frozen on the spot, one leg quivering in midair, his eyes clenched tightly shut. A sudden feeling of dread swept over her.

Sheik nodded, accepting the terms without hesitation, but Midna suddenly blurted out "No!"

There was silence as every head in the gym turned to stare at her as if she were mad. All except Zant. He looked positively giddy.

"You know…" he said slowly, "Ganondorf told me Sheik would be coming for you. He also told me that if you didn't leave quietly, that I was to kill you."

"What?" Sheik snapped, and for the first time, she registered an emotion in his voice; fear. Byrne shuffled uncomfortably and glanced down at the flute boy's body.

"Ganondorf's orders." he said simply, and Sheik snarled. Quickly drawing his gun from his pocket, he pointed it at Zant but was met with two guns facing him before he could finish the action. Zant looked mesmerized, his eyes wide and eager. Arrghus was grinning gruesomely. Only Byrne hadn't drawn his gun because his hands were otherwise occupied, but his face clearly said that he was willing to do so in an instant, but on who's side Midna couldn't tell.

"Now now, no need to be hasty." Zant cackled. "Put your gun on the floor until we finish talking, Shadow, and we won't kill you. …Right now."

Sheik looked furious. With a growl, he tossed his pistol on the ground where it slid a few feet, coming to a halt between Byrne, Arrghus, and Linebeck.

"Now," Zant said, his voice once again back to it's usual puerile falsetto. "What were you saying? You don't want to leave with Sheik?" He moved his gun so it was facing her rather than Sheik, but Arrghus kept him in check.

Midna felt her heart climbing into her throat, and her sense of self-preservation had her frantically opening her mouth to say she'd changed her mind. But her eyes landed on Linebeck, who was eyeing Sheik's discarded gun apprehensively. She turned to look at Mido, who appeared on the verge of soiling himself, and at Oshus with his kindly face, and at Nabooru with her righteous fury, and at Jolene with her hopeless despair, and finally at Sheik who was staring at her in silent desperation. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the nameless boy's discarded flute laying forgotten on the floor just beneath where Sheik was standing, and she knew what she had to say.

Tears welling up in her eyes, she turned to Zant and, voice choked up with emotion, knew that she couldn't abandon these people just to save herself. Even if she would only die beside them, it was better than living and knowing she'd abandoned them to their fate.

"No." She whispered, though it was loud enough to carry to the immediate vicinity. "I'm not leaving without them."

The silence that followed her statement was nearly palpable. Mido looked shocked, Linebeck disbelieving, Byrne merely stared at her in consternation. Zant's smile grew twisted, his eyes open wide as he tilted his head slightly to the side.

"Interesting…"he said simply. And he jerked the gun up so it was level with her head.

Sheik moved. One minute he was staring at Midna in shock, standing in disbelieving stupefaction beside Byrne, and the next he was at Zant's side. His left hand darted forward and seized Zant's wrist, twisting it roughly, jerking the boy closer to him while simultaneously forcing him to drop the gun. In the same movement he stepped forward and threw a punch with his right hand, his muscles straining, and slammed his fist directly into Zant's throat.

There was a horrible crunching sound as Zant's windpipe crumpled , and then Sheik released the boy's arm. It took all of two seconds.

Zant staggered backwards, shock evident on his face as his hands grasped at his ruined throat, his mouth gaping like a fish. His face began turning blue as he struggled to breathe, a hollow rattling sound emitting from his mouth that echoed in the stunned silence of the gym. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he tumbled to the ground, his eyes bulging, twitching occasionally. After a moment, he was still. He never moved again.

Sheik was breathing heavily, staring down at Zant as though in a horrified trance. Byrne and Mido had identical looks of incredulity on their faces as their minds struggled to comprehend what their eyes were telling them had just happened. Linebeck looked grim, his face a sickly green hue, but he seemed the most sane of the lot. Midna herself was numb. Zant was dead. Sheik had killed him. Sheik, her Sheik, had just killed somebody. She found herself clutching her own throat and made herself stop and take several slow, calming breaths.

Arrghus's face was purple, his eye twitching madly. With a sudden roar, he turned and began firing off his gun in every direction.

Midna dove to the floor, feeling rather than seeing Linebeck do the same beside her, though forward instead of back. Sheik, across from her, had turned in surprise at the sound of gunfire and had slipped on the flute beneath his feet, falling to the ground.

Byrne yelled out a surprised "No!", and to her incredible shock, lifted Mido, hugging his body to his chest as he turned, shielding the smaller boy with his back. She watched in agony as two bullets ripped into the larger boy, sending out splatters of blood and an anguished roar of pain as he collapsed, landing on top of Mido.

Midna heard herself scream. Reaching out a hand in a desperate attempt to help them, she froze as another gunshot rang out, and suddenly all was quiet.

Turning her head quickly, she felt her jaw drop in amazement. For there, kneeling on the ground and holding Sheik's discarded gun in a shaky hand, was Linebeck, his arms trembling and his face sweaty and pale.

With a hollow gurgle, Arrghus fell to the floor.

* * *

Ok, so there it is. Chapter ten.

I really hoped you guys liked it. I know it was late, but it was also about twice the length of the last chapter, so here's hoping you can look past all that. Also, this chapter was supposed to be longer than it ended up being, but I really wanted to get this out today, so I decided to go ahead and leave it as it and add the next little bit in Chapter 11. Remember, Chapter Ten means I'm 2/3rds of the way through this story. The end is in sight!

Now on to the real AN business:

Firstly, Chlorine Gas. I actually don't know much about it, and what you read here was the product of some rather fruitless searching on the internet. Almost every source I found told me different things, but I believe I got the basic information correct. If not, please please please feel free to tell me and I'll make sure to correct it; I want to make sure I get all of my info right. Now, as for Shad and Vaati getting it bad whereas Ashei was only a little dizzy, and only for a moment, it's because Shad and Vaati both breathed it in in much higher concentration; Shad being stuck in an enclosed space with the stuff in large quantities for a few minutes, and Vaati breathing through a rag full of the stuff. As for the burns, a few of the sources told me that the gas can cause burns on skin if exposed for too long, but they didn't say how severe they would be, or in what concentration the gas had to be at to cause said burns. So I used artistic license and assumed that since Shad had his hand in the bucket to soak the rag and also was holding it to Vaati's face, he would have rather serious burns on his hand. Again, if you find anything I said to be horribly out of context, please... let me know. Now I feel the need to warn my darling readers to please, never ever mix their cleaners. You may just end up dead.

And second, I feel the need to send out a massive thanks to all of my readers. Seriously, you guys rock. I friggin love you. It's ten chapters now, and already I've nearly got 5,000 hits to this story, which is a monumental occasion for me. Also, I've managed 50 reviews thus far; Let's see if we can get it to 100 before the story's done! Five more chapters guys!

On that note, a much bigger thanks goes out to those who have reviewed. Honestly, your reviews really inspire me to keep writing, and often times it's those reviews that help kick my butt into gear when I've been absent for long periods of time. So really, thank you, I love hearing from you, and I hope to keep hearing from you as the story winds to a close.

Still, there is one reviewer in particular who I think deserves a special thanks: , who has reviewed this story more than any other, and who has put up with a great deal of my flakiness in terms of procrastination. Sorry, and thank you so much. Even if you never read this, which would totally suck.

Anyway, I've held you up long enough. Be ready for a big shift in story dynamic in the next Chapter.

Til then, Keep it Zesty.

ZC


	11. Truth in Legend

Well, would you look at that? I made my goal! It's been a week, and here's the next update. I'm so proud of myself.

Anyway, here you go. Only 4 chapters to go after this!

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**Truth in Legend  
**

Sheik was up before Arrghus hit the ground, ignoring the dying boy and the rigid janitor before him. Scrambling on his hands and knees, he broke the stunned silence that had gripped the gym with a frantic cry that startled even him, his voice two octaves too high. "Byrne!"

Seizing the larger boy's shoulder, he gave a short grunt and rolled him over, pointedly ignore the two gaping bullet holes on his back. He didn't even spare a glance for Mido, knowing somehow, intuitively, that the boy was fine. Byrne had saved him. Shielded him from the danger with his own body. But why?

Byrne's face was pale, and his breathing shallow. His eyes were half-lidded and vague, but Sheik forced the boy to focus on him. For the first time he noticed that they had the same eye color; only one of many things the two boys shared. Had shared. Reaching out blindly, he grasped his limp hand in his own.

"Why?" Sheik whispered, trying hard not to let his emotion show through his words. "Why, Din burn you?"

"Not… Right…" The boy gasped, shuddering. "Grandma… Would've…"

There was small cough, and then a horrible rattling gurgle as his friend's eyes bulged slightly, looking surprised… and then he was still. Sheik watched stiffly, trembling as the light of life slowly dimmed in Byrne's scarlet irises.

Sheik felt his lips contort in pain. Gently, as though he were handling porcelain, he laid his friend's hand on his now still chest. A blaze of rage suddenly exploded violently in his chest, and with a roar he slammed his fist into the ground, not caring if he bruised his knuckles.

How many had died because of them? Because of Ganondorf? Because of him? How many lives was he now responsible for? Squeezing his eyes shut tightly, he unwillingly relieved every moment since the first bomb went off. Principal Sahasrala, dead. Officer Viscen, dead. How many students had been added to that list by now? The order had been given not to hurt more than was 'necessary', but that didn't count for much. The teachers, however, had been fair game…

And the boys who had followed Ganondorf; boys like Byrne, who weren't really evil, just lost and hurt and angry. Abandonment by family or society and corruption by Ganondorf had turned them into this. How many would have been different? How many could have been heroes, like Byrne, with a bit more acceptance and a little more friendship?

His eyes stung as he went over the names of the fallen. Onox, Byrne, Arrghus, Zant… he shuddered again at the last name. He could still feel the boy's esophagus crunching beneath his knuckles…. No, he thought savagely, denying the guilt that threatened to overwhelm him, some really were evil. Some had deserved to die…

_But was it my right to do it?_ A quiet voice whispered in his head.

A hand suddenly touched his shoulder and he started in surprise, jolting out of his anguished reverie. Turning, he was met Midna's tear-stained face staring back at him, looking both anxious and tentative as she knelt at his side. Her eyes were swimming, and to his shock she leaned forward and enveloped him in her tight embrace. After a slight pause, he slid his arms around her as well.

They were silent for a moment, kneeling beside Byrne, and Sheik felt all the hate and rage inside him slowly ebb away, replaced by stark grief. Mido had righted himself and was crouching on Byrne's other side, looking muddled and grieved.

"I don't…" He started, then paused to clear his throat roughly, looking anywhere but at Byrne. "I don't understand. Why did he… I thought he was…" He trailed off, shaking his head wearily and massaging his wrist, which looked a little swollen.

"Byrne died to save your life." Midna's sudden fierceness surprised him, and Mido stared at her, eyes wide as she pulled back from Sheik slightly to regard the startled teen. "It doesn't matter what else might have happened. What did happen is all that counts. He died a hero, and that's how he's going to be remembered."

Sheik and Mido both stared, but she merely returned their gazes levelly. After a moment, Mido nodded. Looking satisfied, she leaned forward and gently slid Byrne's eyes closed, and Mido, scrubbing at his eyes with his forearm, drew a tiny triangle over his heart.

"May the Goddesses welcome you home…" He whispered softly, and Midna echoed him.

Squeezing his eyes shut, he felt an incredibly surge of love and affection for Midna, and gratitude toward Mido. Silently, he said his own prayer to speed Byrne's soul on his way. _May the holy light shine on you, my friend, and may the Goddesses welcome you home as the hero you are…_

"So… he was your friend?" Mido asked unsteadily as he stood, and Sheik and Midna followed suit.

"Yeah… He and I were… His grandmother passed away about a year ago, and he's been living in a foster home for a while. We understood each other. He… He deserved better than this…"

Mido nodded as though he understood, and Midna traced soothing circles on Sheik's back. Clearing his throat, he turned to examine the rest of the gym for the first time in what felt like ages, and to his slight surprise, nothing seemed to have changed.

Linebeck was still kneeling on the ground, staring at the spot where Arrghus had been, his eyes wide with shock, the gun trembling in his unsteady hands. Around him lay the bodies of Zant, Arrghus, and some student who he assumed the random discarded flute belonged to.

A short distance across the gym, the rest of the hostages began to wake from their terrified stupor and climb to their feet. Most of the students were clinging to one another fearfully, the girls and most of the freshmen in tears. The teachers were doing their best to appear calm while shepherding the milling throng forward, toward wall of bleachers where Sheik and the others stood.

Sighing heavily, Sheik strode forward and held out his hand to the janitor. "Here, I'll just-"

The janitor jumped, startled, and whipped around, pointing the gun waveringly at Sheik's chest. Sheik's hands instantly flew into the air, stunned. He hadn't expected _that_.

"Get back!" He cried, sounding strangled. "Back! Or I'll do you like I did your little friend!"

"Linebeck!" Minda hissed angrily, reaching the elderly janitor in three long strides and smacking him soundly over the head. "Stop being an idiot! He's on our side!"

"Oh, uh… right! Yeah, of course I knew that!" He said sheepishly, wincing slightly as he massaged the top of his lanky, unkempt head. Holding his hand out again, Sheik waited for him to return the gun. Turning it over a few times in his hand, Linebeck eventually complied, looking both anxious and relieved to no longer have it in his possession.

"Shadow!" an authoritative voice barked from over his shoulder, and Sheik turned to find Coach Nabooru bearing down on them, looking thunderous, her white track suit a little dusty from the gym floor. "Twili, Linebeck! What in Farore's name is going on here?"

Linebeck looked positively terrified of the admittedly intimidating woman, and not-so-subtly shied behind Midna, which didn't do much good since he was so much taller than her. Oshus stepped up beside her, his once crisp brown suit wrinkled, examining them all critically through wizened eyes. The assistant coach, Ms. Jolene, was standing at Nabooru's side in black gym shorts and a white tank top, but she seemed to be gazing avidly at Linebeck, not giving the others any notice.

Sheik and Midna exchanged silent glances, then Midna spoke. "They've got the whole school under lockdown, Coach. They've got armed guys like Zant and Arrghus everywhere."

Nabooru rolled her eyes, snorting heavily through her nose. "Thank you, Twili, I hadn't noticed." You could have scraped the sarcasm off of her voice with a knife. Midna flushed prettily. "I meant, what do you to think you're doing, barging in here like a couple drunks at a saloon? You both could have been killed!"

"With all due respect, Coach," Midna said coldly, not sounding respectful in the slightest, "you all would have been dead if Linebeck and I hadn't stepped in."

Nabooru quirked an eyebrow, her lips thinning at Midna's tone. "Oh? And why do you suppose that? We hadn't received anything more than threats until you two came barreling in." She jerked her head toward Midna and Linebeck. Midna's stony façade faltered slightly, her eyes darting to the boy with the flute, and Linebeck looked stricken.

"We overheard Zant when we were in the Library. He was telling Vaati that he was planning to come down here and kill everyone because he was getting bored. What exactly did you expect us to do, leave you all to your deaths?" Midna's voice had taken on a definite defensive note, and she'd crossed her arms over her chest protectively.

"Well, you two did a fantastic job saving us, didn't you?" Nabooru shot scathingly, and Midna flinched.

It took a moment for Sheik to understand what Nabooru was getting at. Why was Nabooru getting so bent out of shape? When Midna glanced at the flute boy again, he suddenly understood. She was blaming his death on her.

Suddenly angry, he opened his mouth to argue. Before he could speak, however, Oshus cut in, sounding tired. "Now now, Nabooru. Let us not get ahead of ourselves. I do not believe that it was their fumbled rescue attempt that set off the chain of events that led to the untimely deaths of these boys. From the sound of things, Zant was going to off us all for sport. We should instead be grateful for Mr. Shadow's timely arrival, and fact that most of us are yet still living."

Midna was staring at her toes, her body trembling, and Nabooru looked away, abashed.

"…What do we do now?" Jolene said softly, speaking for the first time.

"Escape." Nabooru said, clapping the smaller woman on the shoulder bracingly. "We still have students to protect."

"Indeed." Oshus said, blowing out through his bushy white mustache. "The question now is, how?"

"Well, there's a door just over there…" Linebeck mumbled, looking like he wanted anything other than the group's attention as he pointed over their heads toward the metal doors in the far corner. Sunlight was streaming through their windows, sparkling as it illuminated the dust motes in the air.

Sheik shook his head quickly. "No, that won't work. They've got the front of the school guarded. They've placed shooters at windows to deter the police from trying to break in. You'd all be shot down before you could make it to the police and safety."

Oshus nodded sagely as though he had suspected such a thing from the beginning. Linebeck looked horrified that his escape plan had failed and his jaw hung open in comic horror, his red nose even more prevalent against his pale face. Nabooru sent Sheik a considering look.

"Shadow, you're one of them. Or were, I'm assuming, since you attacked Zant to save miss Twili. Surely you must know of some way."

Sheik met her gaze levelly, though he inwardly recoiled at her eyes. Her tone wasn't accusing, but he could almost feel it. How could she trust him with their lives knowing that he was part of the attack, knowing that he was one of 'them'? As for a way out, he knew the kitchen exit was open… or had been open. He highly doubted it still was, and now that Ganondorf had the cameras up, there would be no navigating the halls in such a large group… if only there was some way he could get the students out through the exit they had readily available. Some way he could ensure that they could all move across the grounds fast enough…

Suddenly, it hit him.

"What about the bus?" he asked quickly.

Linebeck snorted. "None of the busses are here, genius. They were out picking up the middle-schoolers when the attack started. Unless you mean the Special Ed bus, but that's way to tiny to hold this many people. Besides, it's on the other side of the school."

"Yes," Nabooru said slowly, understanding blooming in her eyes, "But not the bus that the cheerleaders take to competition… That should still be parked just outside my office…"

"So…" Linebeck said slowly, glancing between Nabooru and Sheik dubiously, "We have a bus?"

"We have a bus." She nodded, looking triumphant.

"Fantastic!" He exclaimed, clapping his hands together greedily. "So then… where are the keys?"

"They should be in Darmani's office, just through the boy's locker room." She tapped Jolene and jerked her head, and with a brief nod the younger woman set off at a trot across the gym, her eyes still lingering on Linebeck with what looked disturbingly like admiration.

"Excellent." Oshus said, "Well, Linebeck, Mr. Mido, why don't we get the students organized."

"Er… Right. Sure. Whatever you say, old man." Linebeck turned and quickly trotted off with the short ginger boy toward the milling throng of teens, a bounce in his step. Clearly, he was happy to be finally leaving. Mido merely looked relieved to be doing something, anything other than standing around uselessly.

"Wait!" Midna cried out suddenly, and Oshus paused, turning to regard her curiously.

"We can't… We can't just leave them here…" She gestured feebly at Byrne and the nameless boy with the flute.

Oshus nodded gently. "Of course not, my dear."

He knelt down beside the brown haired boy, gently wrapping his arms around his knees and shoulders, and with surprising strength for one who looked so old, lifted him effortlessly into the air.

"Such a shame…" The elderly teacher said softly. "He was so talented…"

Sheik quickly reached down and plucked up the silver-chased flute, laying it across the boys chest. With a grateful not, the man set off after Linebeck and Mido who had the students gathering in two straight columns by the exit.

With panting breaths, Jolene returned, the keys dangling in her hand. "I've got them!"

Nabooru nodded. "Alright then. Give them to Linebeck then come back and help me with Byrne."

"Ok!" she panted, sounding a little too excited, then darted off after Oshus.

"Alright, you two. Go ahead and get in line with the others. We're not out of the kettle yet."

Midna started forward briskly, but hesitated when she saw Sheik wasn't following. Nabooru fixed him with a stern look. "What are you waiting for, Shadow?"

Sheik met Midna's worried expression for a moment, then shook his head with a heavy sigh. "I'm not coming. You guys go on ahead, I've got something I need to do." His grip on the gun in his hand tightened painfully until his knuckles whitened.

"Shadow…" Nabooru started in a tone that brooked no nonsense, but Sheik cut her off.

"Look, Coach, we really don't have time to waste arguing. You need to get these students out of here."

"Exactly, and that's what I intend to do. All of them." She said, gesturing to include him and Midna, but Sheik shook his head again, feeling determined.

"I can't go with you, Coach."

Nabooru planted her hands on her hips and glared at Sheik. "Listen, boy, if you think that getting yourself killed like Byrne here is going to absolve you of your guilt for your part in today's events, then you're a fool. As far as I'm concerned, you've already done that, and 40 people have you to thank for their lives. Now stop playing the hero and come on."

"This has nothing to do with that," Sheik said stiffly, and it was only partly a lie. His main reason for staying was to rescue Link and Aryll, but he couldn't deny that part of him was hoping that if he could stop Ganondorf once and for all, he might be able to assuage some of his guilt for joining up in the first place.

"I'm not taking no for an answer, Shadow."

"And I'm afraid you're not the one giving orders anymore, Coach." he replied softly, and the older woman sighed.

"Fool boy…" she muttered, then turned as Jolene jogged back over.

"Everything's ready, Coach." She said, leaning down to grab Byrne's legs. "Linebeck's already in the bus. He's gonna wait to start it up until everyone's in."

"Good work." Nabooru said, stooping low to grab the boy's arms, and together they heaved his body into the air.

"Wait, what about those two?" Jolene asked, gesturing to Zant and Arrghus awkwardly with her foot.

"Leave them." Nabooru said, at the same moment that Sheik spat savagely "Let them rot."

There was an awkward pause, then with a grunt the two woman headed off to the door where students were already pouring out into the sunlight beyond. Jolene gave them a quizzical look over Nabooru's shoulder, but the Coach never looked back.

"Where are you going?" Midna said, more of a demand than a question, fixing Sheik with a glower.

"There's just something I need to do real quick." He said in what he hoped was a reassuring voice. "I'll be out in a couple minutes, ok? Just go get on the bus with the others and I'll see you soon."

Midna didn't budge. "And what's so important that you seem to think it's worth risking your life over?"

"It's… It's nothing, ok?" He lied, knowing full well that if he told her of Link and Aryll's predicament she'd demand to come along. "Just go and-"

"If it's nothing, then forget it and come with me!"

"I can't! Midna, come on. Get on the bus."

"No! Sheik, tell me right now, or I'm not leaving!"

Sheik groaned, massaging his eyes with his palms. "If I tell you, will you go?"

"No." she replied flatly, and he threw his hands up in exasperation.

"Then why should I tell you! Midna, please, get on the bus. Get out of here. I need to know you're safe."

"Well then it's a good thing I'm staying with you." She said matter-of-factly, stepping closer to him and slipping her hand in his.

"What? No-!"

"Sheik, I'm not leaving you again." She said, suddenly fierce, her eyes flashing dangerously. "Never again. I'm not gonna sit out there, wondering where you are and if you're ok like some princess from a story. Either you're taking me with you, or we're both getting on that bus with Linebeck and Nabooru."

Sheik met her determined gaze with his own pained one. His choices were either ensure Midna's safety and abandon Link and Aryll, or attempt to save them and risk that Midna might be killed along with them. It was a lose-lose situation. He sighed heavily, his hand tightening on hers.

"You stay next to me." He said, and she nodded curtly, an impish smile on her face, her dyed orange and yellow hair bouncing in it messy ponytail. Hand in hand, they left the gym, Sheik silently cursing all the while.

* * *

Link was still snarling at Ganondorf when the door slammed behind his friend.

"Sakon!" Ganondorf barked, cutting his mad laughter short. Sakon, who'd been cackling along with him, flinched and quickly turned to face the larger male, carefully avoiding making eye contact.

"Y-yes, my liege?" Sakon asked timidly. To Link's astonishment the twitchy boy sounded at once fearful and… awestruck? His deference seemed more appropriate for a servant to his master rather than two homicidally inclined teens. And what was up with this 'liege' nonsense?

"Leave us. I need to speak with Hero alone. Go and check up on Vaati; he hasn't reported in, and these cameras can only see so far."

Sakon quickly gave his assent, performing a jerky yet unmistakable bow, then all but fled from the office, letting the door slam shut behind him.

Link was baffled for a moment at the boy's behavior before remembering he was supposed to be terrified. Straining his arms against his duct tape bindings, he silently cursed Sheik for wanted to keep up pretenses, though deep down he understood that it was necessary for them to have even gotten his far. Still, he didn't have to restrain him so tightly… Turning slowly, he quietly examined Principal Sahasrahla's office, carefully avoiding looking at Ganon lest he fly off the handle again. It was dim; the blinds having been drawn to keep out prying eyes, and the overhead lights remained off. Narrow beams of sunlight lanced through the gaps between the blinds, the only source of illumination in Ganondorf's center of command.

Grimacing at the rather large blood stain beneath his feet, he turned to examine the shattered remnants of some sort of electrical device, then jumped when he heard another wail come out of the closet across the hall.

Ganondorf chuckled at his reaction. "Yes, Hero. Your precious little sister, along with a few others, are being held in the storage room. She's only a few feet away. Go on. Go to her."

Link almost did it. He shifted his weight as though preparing to move, but something in Ganon's sinister smile had him pausing. He swallowed, mulling it over, then eventually decided to stay. If anything, his smile widened.

"What is it, Hero? Don't trust me? That is wise. You ought to know by now that I intend to see you dead."

Deep down, Link knew he should have been more frightened by this information, but somehow he'd known this all along. Ganondorf wanted him dead. Well so what? He wanted Ganondorf dead too for the things he'd done today. It only seemed fair for him to reciprocate the feelings. Unfortunately, only one of them could get their wish, and at the rate things were going, it wasn't going to be Link.

"Still, no need to be uncivil. I don't intend to kill you just yet. I need an audience first you see, which is why I need Vaati to get here. And Zant, once he's finished with his business in the gymnasium. Until then, you're more than welcome to spend your last few minutes with your sister. Don't worry, though… She'll be joining you not long after. Along with the rest of the pathetic urchins in this school."

He felt a dark hatred rising within him, seething in his gut. "You're a monster…" he growled, and Ganondorf laughed menacingly.

"Monster?" He tilted his head to the side, seemingly tasting the word, mulling it over as if not quite sure what it meant. "Monster? No, not quite. Not yet at least. But soon… Yes, soon I'm sure there will be many who will call me that. Those who are weak minded, those who cannot even begin to comprehend what I am destined to become. They will be jealous, of course, but then, who would not be? I will be the envy of every man and woman in the world."

Somehow, Link had the distinct impression that Ganondorf wasn't talking to him, but rather aloud to himself. Sneering derisively, he spat, "Jealous? Of You? You've got to be kidding me! Who in their right mind would be jealous of some sick, twisted, pitiful creep like you? Nobody's gonna be jealous of a dead man, Ganondorf, because that's what you are. Even if you kill me, even if you kill everyone in this school, your death is assured. Whether the police do it or you're sent to the electric chair, you're going to pay with your life for the things you've done here today."

He was breathing heavily, and his arms were sore with the effort of straining against his bindings, but at the moment all of his attention was focused on the tall, impassive boy sitting before him. His dark red hair was neatly pulled back into a tail, his eyes flickering with a cruel light, the whites of his eyes contrasting with his dark skin. His jaw was firm, a crooked smirk stretching humorously across it as he regarded Link calmly over the desk.

Abruptly, he laughed, throwing his head back and roaring as though Link had just told a funny joke. Link found himself stepping back, stunned. He really was mad…

"You have courage, Hero. Yes, perhaps you could be the one… It would be fitting. Already, my hatred for you burns above that of any other. You are, at the moment, my greatest foe. Not that there's anything great about you, of course." He scoffed at the notion, but Link didn't care. They were long past the point where insults still stung.

"What are you talking about?" Link spat savagely, "What 'one'? You already said you were going to kill me. You're not chickening out, are you?"

Inwardly, he was screaming at himself to shut up, to stop antagonizing the psycho, but he ignored the voice. The blood was pounding in his head; something about being near Ganondorf was messing with his mind. He wanted nothing more than to rip his pompous head off with his bare hands. His arms strained again, the tape starting to cut into his wrists.

Ganon's eyes flashed malevolently, but he was silent. For a moment the two remained perfectly still, eyeing one another- Link furious, Ganon strangely considering.

Finally, Ganondorf broke eye contact, standing and drawing a gun from his pocket. He toyed with it for a moment looking thoughtful before setting it on the desk and striding to the window, peeking out through the blinds.

Link didn't feel any ease at Ganondorf relieving himself of his weapon. The man exuded such an air of malevolence that he made the cold metal weapon seem almost friendly; if anything, Link felt safer when the man had the gun in his hand. He didn't make any motions toward grabbing it either. His hands were still bound, and at the moment there was little he could do. Out in the hall, the crying subsided a bit.

"What are you planning?" Link asked quietly. "I don't understand. Why not just kill me and be done with it? Spare the other students, they're not important anymore. I'm the one you want. Just kill me and let it end…"

Ganondorf snorted. "Not important? Hardly. Your death may be the final step, Hero, or it might not. They are insurance, you see. Now that I've managed to snag the attention of the entire nation, I'm going to execute you on national television. You'll be on your knees, beginning for me to grant you death, and I, the great and merciful Ganondorf, will oblige. And, if ending your life isn't enough to demonstrate my worth, I will kill each and every last person in this building, until the Goddesses see how powerful I've become, see that I am willing to do whatever it takes, and give me what is rightfully mine!"

He spoke the entire time facing the window, but at the end he turned abruptly raising his right hand into the air and clenching his fist. There, barely perceptible on the back of his fist, was the faint outline of three golden triangles, the top-most one slightly darker than the others.

Link stared blankly. "So… You drew the Triforce on your hand?"

Ganondorf laughed mockingly, his broad shoulders shaking with mirth. "You truly do not understand, do you? I drew nothing, Hero. What you see before you, etching itself into my skin, is the sacred Triforce of legends. A part, at least. I intend to claim the blessing of the mighty Din, the Triforce of Power. It is nearly complete. And soon, I shall be more powerful than any other man or woman on the planet!"

_He's insane…_ Link thought weakly, shock rolling over him at Ganon's words. _It's not possible… They were only legends! The Triforce wasn't real…_

Ganondorf was watching Link's expression with amusement. Quickly, Link drew himself out of his reverie. "You've lost it. The Triforce is just a-"

"Legend?" Ganondorf cut in, and Link bit his tongue. "Indeed. There are many old tales that speak of the Triforce. The golden triangles, the very symbols of the goddesses themselves. When brought together, they possess the ability to grant the deepest desire of your heart."

Link tried to keep up his façade of cool disbelief, but inwardly he was hanging on Ganon's every word.

"I'm sure you recall a few of them, Hero. There are many."

"Stories!" Link cut in sharply. "Just stories! A load of fairy tales!"

"Perhaps." Ganondorf mused, leaning back against the desk, folding his arms across his chest. "Tales have a way of distorting with time. However, even the most outlandish of tales contain a scrap of truth."

"So, what? You're trying to tell me that the Hero of Time really had a magical ocarina that he used to travel through time? That the Hero of Winds could really make the air obey his every command, and saved the world with a pirate princess and an enchanted talking boat?" He tried to insert every ounce of sarcasm he could muster.

Ganondorf chuckled. "All that and more."

Link groaned, rolling his eyes. "I'm going to be killed by a lunatic…"

Ganon went on, not hearing him. "There really was, once, a line of Hylian monarchs who's noble blood protected the Triforce of Wisdom. Always, whenever one owner died, another princess would be born, bearing the golden mark upon her hand. There really were legendary men who, with the Triforce of Courage, transformed into wolves or traveled the Realm of Darkness freely, capable of performing extraordinary feats. And… there really was a King of Thieves, who ransacked the country with his armies of the night... Who, with the Triforce of the Power, evaded death for thousands of years…"

His voice had grown deathly quiet, but his eyes glowed with a sinister light. Link had gone very still. Every part of his mind was rejecting what Ganondorf was saying, writing it off as delusions of grandeur, arguing that all the silly legends his grandmother had told him as a child were nothing more than puerile nonsense. But somewhere in his gut, he couldn't resist the allure of Ganondorf's words. Everything he was saying sounded… right. Familiar, somehow. Almost nostalgic. The back of his left hand began to itch slightly, and Link struggled to scratch it, welcoming the distraction.

"You sure know a lot about history…" Link muttered, trying to change the topic to a safer one, away from heroes, princesses, and villains. Anything to help him clear his head; he was almost starting to believe Ganondorf's mad rantings.

Ganon smiled thinly at Link's comment. "I learned a great deal during my stint in Juvy."

Link cringed; Ok, not a safer topic…

"You see, I had an… inspired… teacher." Ganondorf laughed slightly at some private joke. "His name was Aghanim, and he was once a famed historian. Unfortunately, he was shunned from the rest of the historical society for the direction his studies were taking him. Greatness is often misunderstood in its time. He was forced to take up a job as a councilor for troubled teens in order to make some money. It was there that he taught me all that he knew of the legends of old. Of how, when the King of Thieves had broken into the Sacred Realm to take the Triforce for his own, it split into three pieces, imbedding themselves into the bodies of those who were most in tune with their values. Those who were blessed with one of the Triforce pieces were said to receive incredible blessings, becoming demi-gods in their own right. The Triforce has passed itself on, from person to person, many times since. And soon, I will become one as well, and my power will be unrivaled!"

Ganondorf's slow, malicious laughter chilled Link to his bones. Licking his lips, Link took another step back. "Well… Your teacher must be… proud…"

Ganon laughed all the harder. "What, you think I allowed him to live? I could not risk giving him the opportunity to interfere with my plans. He was never strong enough to do what I knew must be done. Once I take Power, I will rule this land!"

Link felt sick to his stomach. He wasn't worried about his plan; surely not. After all, he was spouting nonsense. He'd be killed, there was no doubt about it. Still… He silently wracked his brains, struggling to remember how the heroes of old defeated the King of Thieves.

"Ah, but- What about the other two pieces?" Link blurted out, and Ganondorf's laughter ceased. "All the goddesses are equal. That means each Triforce piece wielder must be equal! Even if you do take Power, Wisdom and Courage will just team up and beat you. Just like they always do in the stories."

Ganondorf smirked. "Bah! When any two Triforce pieces are near each other, they resonate. I'll be able to feel when I'm near the other two. And when I am, I'll kill them, and seize their piece for my own. Before long, I'll be able to reassemble the actual Triforce, and with the goddesses own sacred power, I shall do what none before me has done. I will become immortal. I will become a god."

The itchiness of Link's hand intensified, and he wriggled around in his bindings, seeking relief. "How do you know they'll even show up? Nobody has possessed a piece of the Triforce in centuries, and the royal family's bloodline has been lost for ages."

Link decided to ignore the fact that he was now apparently believing that Ganondorf's plan was possible. His hand was driving him crazy…

"Your concern is touching," Ganondorf mocked. "but quite unnecessary. The Triforce pieces call to each other; they yearn to be reunited. Wisdom will come to me, whether she wants to or not. And when the princess is endangered, Courage will come to her rescue. He won't be able to resist the call, the singing in his blood. He will come, and then they both will die."

"How do you know it's a guy?" Link asked. He was just trying to buy time now. Maybe, if he could work his hands free… and scratch that blasted itch… he could figure something out before Ganondorf killed him.

Ganondorf burst into laughter again, but this time it seemed as though he actually saw humor in something. After a moment of Link's confused stare, Ganon let his laugh die, looking surprised. "You actually don't know? Idiot boy… What do they teach you in this school? There is a uniqueness about the Triforce pieces, Hero. They don't go to just anyone."

"I know, I know." Link cut in bitterly, not enjoying getting his intelligence mocked by his archenemy. "The person who claims it has to exemplify the trait unless you take it from someone who already bares it, you already told me."

"No, Hero. There is a second stipulation. The three who the Triforce pieces originally fled to, they are the only rightful bearers. And for that reason, every wise princess, every courageous lad, every man of power… they are the same."

Link stared at him blankly. "The same… what?"

Ganondorf rolled his eyes. "The same person. They are reborn, time and time again. Their bodies may change, but their souls do not. The conflict never ends for them, just as time never ends for the goddesses. They are legends in truth, for you see: Legends never truly die."

Link felt like all the air had left his body. Was that true? How had he not known that? Every hero was the same boy, reborn? Every princess who bore the mark of Wisdom on her hand was the same as the one before? And every greedy pig who bore power…

His eyes darted quickly to Ganon's hand then away again. If Ganon actually managed to take power, then did that mean…?

Ganon was smiling cruelly down at Link. "I see you've come to the obvious conclusion. Yes, Hero. When I claim the Triforce of Power as my own, as is my right, it will be proof that I am the same as every who has come before me. I am the King of Thieves, reincarnate."

Link's throat felt dry. Everything he was saying was impossible, and yet… Somehow, he knew he was telling the truth. Ganondorf, the legendary King of Evil, was standing in front of him. And somewhere in the world, there would be a girl, unaware of her royal blood, who would soon claim Wisdom if she had not already and become the Princess of Destiny…

And somewhere, there was a boy who…

Suddenly, something Ganondorf had said earlier popped back into his head.

"_You have courage, Hero. Yes, perhaps you could be the one…"_

He felt as though he'd been punched in the stomach. He could be the one… The One. The bearer of the Triforce of Courage. The Hero of Time.

His hand was itching so badly it was painful, but he no longer tried to scratch it. He was too terrified to even touch it. It couldn't be him… It wasn't possible! He didn't feel courageous, he felt like wetting himself! No, no, he couldn't be the one… Ganondorf was just saying it was a possibility…

Ganondorf looked down at the laptop, scowling at something Link couldn't see. "Sakon and Vaati should have reported back by now… Incompetence, as usual."

He turned to look back at Link, and he subtly adjusted himself so his left hand was completely hidden behind his back.

"Well Hero, you're in luck. Your last few moments with your sister has been granted." Striding forward, he seized Link's arm and dragged him backwards. Link didn't even try to fight, his mind was too busy whirling.

He flung the office door open, letting crash against the wall, then two steps later he heard the sound of him throwing open another door in the same manner.

"Wait here, Hero. And do try to be patient; I promise, I'll be back to kill you soon." And with that, Link was shoved into the storage room with a grunt, the door slamming shut behind him.

* * *

"Alright. Hurry up and go. And make it quick, that girl's life is in your hands now."

The EMT gave Rusl a rather flat look, as if to say he knew how to do his job. Over his shoulder, Malon sent him a tremulous smile from within the ambulance where she was sitting awkwardly in a stiff plastic seat, desperately clinging to the unconscious girl's hand. The door to the ambulance was slammed in his face before he could think of anything comforting to say to his son's friend, and with a piercing wail the ambulance set off down the road.

Rusl sighed wearily, wiping the sweat from his brow. He knew, at least on a logical level, what must be happening in that school, but nothing could have prepared him for that sight. In his mind's eye, the image of the pale, dying girl instantly became Collin, and with a grunt he shook it off, steeling himself for the task at hand. Silently whispering a prayer for her survival, he turned back to the green haired teen who stood awkwardly to the side, blood covering her clothing and tear stains on her cheeks. She was trembling, staring blankly at the spot the ambulance had vanished from.

"Saria?" He said gently, hoping he'd gotten her name right. Collin had so many friends, it was sometimes hard to keep track. But it would seem he was correct, because with a jolt the girl jerked her head in his direction, her eyes wide with panic.

"It's ok," he said quickly, making soothing gestures as he placed his hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her frantic breathing as he gently steered her to a quieter place. "You're safe now. You got out, and you got the girl to the ambulance. You've done all you can. It's up to her and the doctors now. Just… try to relax."

He had some serious questions he needed to ask her, but before he could do that she needed to calm down. She'd been near hysterical ever since she and the other girls had managed to escape the school. About ten minutes ago, he'd been trying his best to quell the ever-imposing media when the officers surrounding the southern face of the school had given up a cry of alarm. Completely forgetting about the reporters, he'd full-on sprinted the length of the frontage road, dodging cops and medical personnel alike until he'd gotten there.

By the time he'd arrived, the small, rag-tag band of girls had already completed their mad dash to safety. Most of them had been on their knees, hugging each other and sobbing in relief, all except for three. Two of them he'd recognized on sight as friends of his son, though their names took him a second to recall. Both of them, the rebellious one with the short green hair and the pretty red-head were covered in blood, pleading feverishly with an EMT as he loaded their friend, a senior by the look of her with a horrible gunshot wound to the abdomen, onto a gurney. It seems they both were uninjured, all of the blood on their clothes belonging to the unconscious senior who they'd carried from the school, but both were begging to be allowed on the ambulance to accompany the girl to the emergency room.

Rusl had stepped in at that moment, allowing Malon to accompany her but keeping Saria at his side; he told himself it hadn't mattered which one stayed and which one left, but deep down he knew why he'd chosen that way. Saria had been Collin's friend since they were in elementary school; Malon he hadn't met til seventh grade.

Finally arriving at his squad car, he hastily opened the trunk and handed her a bottle of water. She took it gratefully, first taking a long swig before using the rest to wash the blood off her arms.

"Do you think s-she'll be ok?" she asked shakily, her arms trembling. She accidentally spilled half the water on the floor in her effort to clean herself.

Rusl sighed, not wanted to lie but not knowing how to answer without driving the girl further into despair. "I… don't know… But who's to say. Young people are terribly resilient. Honestly, I'm amazed she lasted as long as she did. You did well."

"It… It wasn't me…" she said, hiccupping softly. Rusl quirked an eyebrow.

"What do you mean? You weren't one of the ones who carried her out?"

"N-No, I mean, I was, but…" Here she swallowed, and her eyes swam with tears once more. "Me and Malon, we only carried her. That's all. It was everyone else who…"

"Everyone else?" He said gently, glancing in the direction they'd come from, "You mean the other girls?"

"No, I meant… It's just… there were so many…" Her voice choked off, and Rusl gently patted her on the back.

"It's ok, take it easy. Here, how about you tell me what happened from the beginning to the moment you and Malon brought the girl out-"

"Anju." She cut in fiercely, and Rusl nodded, conceding.

"Anju. Of course. Until you and Malon brought Anju out, and then we can call your parents. I'm sure they'll be glad to hear you're safe."

The girl nodded jerkily, and then began telling her tale in a wobbly voice. Rusl had hoped that somewhere along the way, she'd mention Collin, but she never did. He had to stop himself from cutting her off and asking her outright; he couldn't allow himself to show her weakness, not when she desperately needed to lean on his strength. Besides, there were more lives than just that of his son at stake today.

Still, despite his anxiety for his boy, he couldn't help but stare in amazement at the tale she was unfolding. From being herded into a classroom full of other students by strange men with guns, to watching as all of the boys were separated from them because Ganondorf was looking for someone. That was news to him; so Ganondorf did have a plan. But why would he hold an entire school hostage just to find one person? Shoving the question to the back of his mind, he continued listening.

After hearing of the new girl, someone named Zelda, who was brought in later on and hearing of the boy, Kafei (his first thought was of the mayor's son, but he quickly banished it; surely the mayor's children didn't attend public school), who'd stayed in with the girls to protect his girlfriend, the one who was now on her way to the emergency room, he jumped at the sound of a name.

"Wait, Aryll? Aryll Hero? She was in the room with you?" He felt his heart rise. Here, finally, was a chance to segue into Collin's whereabouts.

"Y-Yes…" She said, her voice sounding strangled.

"Well, where is she? I didn't see her with the others…"

Saria's lip quivered, and then suddenly she was bawling noisily into his chest. Rusl felt his blood run cold. Closing his eyes, he took a deep, steadying breath, struggling to quell the sudden despair. Gently patting the girl on the back, he tried his best to keep his voice steady.

"Shh, come on. It's ok. We'll get back to that later. What happened next?"

As the girl pulled back from him, he tried his best to banish the image of that sweet blonde girl from his head. _Please, don't let her be dead…_ he pleaded inwardly. Saria continued her story through wracking sobs.

"W-We were in the c-class, and… The shooter g-got mad at us for b-being loud, so he… He tried to s-shoot A-Anju, but Zelda… She kicked him, and then Kafei tackled him, and we took away the gun, and then we tied him up like Jack Bauer…"

Rusl was impressed. He didn't know this Zelda or Kafei, but whoever they were, they had twice the courage of any man in his squad. And twice the recklessness. He chose to ignore the bit about Jack Bauer; she was clearly emotionally unstable.

"Ok, so then what? You tried to escape?"

Saria nodded frantically, her fists burrowing into her eyes as though trying to squash her tears. "Kafei t-took his gun and led us out, but then we… We got caught by S-S-Sakon, and he tried to shoot K-Kafei, but Anju j-jumped in the way, and then Kafei… He just left us! He ran off after Sakon, and there were bullets flying everywhere, and Anju was dying on the floor, and we were captured again by a bunch of guys, and they took Aryll away…"

So… that was how the girl was injured… She'd selflessly risked her life to save her boyfriend. If Zelda and Kafei had a great deal of courage, then Anju must be the Hero of Time reincarnate. And Aryll? They'd taken her? Why? And Where?

"Saria," he said slowly, "Why did they take Aryll? And to where?"

She seemed to struggle for a moment, her eyes looking distant as if she were seeing something in her head. "They… They took her to Ganondorf… Sakon said that Ganondorf wanted her for some reason, and that she wasn't to be harmed…"

Rusl gaped in shock. "Ganondorf wanted her? _She_ was the student Ganondorf was looking for? But why?"

Saria looked frightened, her eyes wide, shaking her head frantically from side to side to say that she didn't know. He made a mental note to tune it down a bit. It wasn't her fault that he was more than likely going to have to place a very painful phone call to Uli and Grandma Hero.

The things these children had gone through today… Still, he couldn't image how they'd managed to escape being captured again with an injured girl. He asked as much.

"I-It wasn't us…" She mumbled, wiping her face on her sleeve. "It was Link and Sheik…"

Rusl's eyebrows shot into his hair. Link? Again? How many people would that foolish boy try to save today?

"Link and… Sheik? How did they save you?" In his mind, he imagined a similar scenario to what the quarterback had reported; Link tumbling dramatically through the ceiling to save the day. That seemed unlikely though. He waited patiently for Saria to answer; she was staring at the road beneath them in confusion.

"He… Sheik, I mean, he just came up and told them to leave. And they listened to him. I-I don't know why… Unless…"

The conclusion dawned on them simultaneously.

"He must be one of them." Rusl said, looking furious, but Saria quickly shook her head, looking panicked.

"N-No! That can't be! He's Link's best friend! I've known him for ages, and he wouldn't do that! Besides, if he was a bad guy, why did he help us?"

"Help you? How?" Rusl's face was a cool mask. Inwardly, he felt rage seeping through his gut. Ganondorf was the leader, so logically only he could give orders like that. Clearly he had others, captains he supposed, who were in control of the 'little people'. It make sense; it explained how he managed to control so many students, and how he managed to pull off a stunt like this. But how many were there, other than Sheik?

Saria still looked frightened as she hastily tried to explain. "He told us what to do! He used part of his shirt to cover the bullet hole and told us where the exit was! He and Link stayed behind to find Aryll once we told them what had happened! I promise, he's on our side! He has to be!"

Rusl was silent for a moment as he contemplated her story. Clearly, if Sheik hadn't known of Aryll's abduction, Ganondorf wasn't fool enough to trust all of his cronies with his true intentions. All the worse for him; it'd be harder to figure out what he was up to. Link and this Sheik fellow were clearly working together in some fool scheme to rescue Aryll. He could only pray that Saria was right, and that Sheik really was on our side. Still… One student shot, one kidnapped, and one MIA… Their escape didn't come without sacrifice…

But wait, something wasn't right…

"Saria… what about the other girl? Zelda, was it? Where is she?"

He regretted his question immediately. Saria, who was only starting to regain composure, instantly lost it again, sagging to her knees and wailing. Rusl twisted his mouth wryly. Sure, she'd been through a great deal today, but this was starting to get ridiculous. Maybe he should hold off the rest of his questions until she regained control of herself…

Between sobs, he managed to understand a few words. "She was… leading us… to the exit… but Vaati… tried to stop us… She distracted him so… we could escape but… b-but… she never…"

Suddenly, he understood. She'd provided the distraction so the others could get out, but hadn't followed. Clearly, Saria expected the worst, and inwardly Rusl agreed. He highly doubted she was still alive.

So. One shot, one taken, one missing, and one dead. And those were only the ones he knew of. Truly not one of their better days.

Sighing, he leaned down to tell her that they were going to take a break, but he froze as panicked yells came from the east. Straightening up quickly and jerking his head toward the sound, he felt his jaw drop in shock. For there, careening wildly around the side of the school building, teetering on two wheels as it made a daring hairpin turn, was a bright yellow school bus.

Even as he watched, his mind desperately trying to comprehend what he was seeing, something slammed into the roof, puncturing the ceiling with a bang. It took a second for him to realize what they were: bullets. Someone from the school was shooting at the bus as it made it's getaway.

"RETURN FIRE!" He bellowed, running forward to the line of caution tape that surrounded the school, barely aware that Saria had followed him as he struggled desperately to be heard over the terrified screams of reporters and students and the pinging of bullets. "COVER THEM! PROTECT THAT BUS!"

As it turned out, he hadn't needed to give the order. Even as he yelled, members of the S.W.A.T. team were darting forward, crouching down behind cars and shooting at the windows. For a moment all that could be heard was the sound of gunfire, the tinkling of glass as windows broke both on the bus and on the school, and the roar of the bus engine as it lumbered speedily toward them.

Almost too late, Rusl realized where the bus was headed: directly towards him. Seizing Saria's arm, he bolted, dragging her as far away from the area as he could. Some of the other officers weren't so lucky; they dove aside right as the bus blazed past, bullets ricocheting in every direction as they hit the bus or the surrounding emergency response vehicles. Some of the officers got up and continued returning fire, but the rest darted after the bus.

Rusl joined them, not even realizing he was still holding on to Saria's arm. The bus broke straight through the police perimeter, yellow tape dangling from the front bumper like streamers, zooming quickly over the road and swinging out onto the abandoned gravel parking lot next door where it attempted to skid to a halt. The result was a wild fishtail as the wheels spun on loose dirt. The bus swung around, and the occupants slammed into the windows, screaming in fear. Finally, in a dramatic cloud of dust, the bus came to a stop, and the engine went dead.

There was a pause as the officers stopped and stared bewildered at the bus, panting heavily. With a metallic creak, the door swung open, and in a rush the students began pouring out in a flood, running to the officers, some crying, some whooping with giddy delight at the craziness of their ride. Rusl found himself straining to examine every face as it exited, scanning hopefully for a glimpse of his son. But as more and more students got off and the bus eventually emptied, he felt his heart sink.

He came to a halt a couple feet from the headlights, his shoes crunching pitifully on the gravel beneath him, feeling the chill of the wind and the feeble sunlight attempt to warm him. To his surprise, Saria jerked her wrist out of Rusl's hand with a shriek.

"MIDO!"

The short, curly red-head who Rusl recognized as his son's best friend had just barely stepped out of the bus when he was tackled to the ground by the excitable girl. Rusl felt his heart jump. Mido… perhaps he knew…

Stepping forward intently, he froze when his eyes caught sight of the next person exiting the bus. An elderly man, with white hair and a bushy mustache, delicately cradling a small boy in his arms. Rusl's throat clenched as he saw the blood that stained the boy's hair, and he knew.

The man caught Rusl's eye, and he moved toward him slowly. His limbs were trembling, though from the strain of holding him or from his emotion Rusl couldn't tell.

"Here," Rusl said, holding his arms out to take the boy, but the old man shook his head.

"No, son." The man replied, sounding weary. "I've got him, he doesn't weigh much. They might need you at the back though. There is another."

Rusl nodded, and together they walked the dusty length of the bus, passing Saria and Mido, coming to a stop by the emergency backdoor. Rusl was the only officer left, the rest having left to escort the other students back to join the girls who had escaped a few moments earlier.

The back door stood ajar, and inside he could see two athletic looking women trying to hoist the body of a large, muscular boy out the back door. The smaller of the two who sported a long brunette pony tail was outside of the bus, clearly straining, trying to support the boys weight by holding his legs while the other woman attempted to angle herself out of the bus without dropping him.

"Here," Rusl said quickly, stepping forward and grabbing the boy bridal style, relieving the two women. With a grunt he slowly lowered the body to the ground, careful not to step on his long black hair. His body felt so cold…

With a heavy sigh, the taller woman, with darker skin and shorter, red hair, wiped her brow and leapt out of the bus, landing beside Rusl with a crunch of tiny pebbles.

"Jolene," she said tiredly, "Go check on Linebeck. I don't think he's gotten out of the bus yet."

The shorter woman, Jolene, nodded fervently and climbed back into the bus.

"Was he injured during the escape?" Rusl asked quietly, referring to the man in the bus as the old man gently knelt and laid the smaller boy's body beside the muscular one. He'd gotten an ornate silver flute from somewhere and laid it across the smaller boy's chest.

"No." The taller woman said, rolling her eyes. "Likely he's just scarred stiff. He's a strange man, Linebeck."

"A teacher?"

"A janitor." The old man said, rising to his feet. "Though one to whom we owe our lives, at least partially."

The taller woman rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"I'm sorry," Rusl said, clearly missing something, "I don't know your names. You're both teachers?"

"Yes. I am Oshus, the marine biology teacher, and this is Coach Nabooru."

"Hello," he said, shaking their hands. The formality felt strange as they stood over the bodies of two dead teenage boys. "I am Rusl Smith, the chief of police."

The two adults nodded, though they looked bone tired, and Rusl sighed.

"Here, I'll go get some officers to take these boys, and then you two can get some rest. But you can't leave the area until I ask you some questions. That goes for Jolene, Linebeck, and the students too."

The two teachers nodded, and sat on the bus's bumper with quiet groans. Turning, Rusl headed off, feeling grim. Two more deaths, and all he cared about was finding his son. He needed to remember that there were more lives at stake here than just his son. It was time to stop waiting; they needed to get in there and take Ganondorf out. As soon as they got these boys out of here, he'd give the order.

Passing Mido and Saria, he suddenly remembered what he'd meant to ask him. As he turned back, he caught a glimpse inside the bus where Jolene was exiting, arm in arm with a frazzled looking janitor. As he slid by them to get to the kids, he heard her coo gently at him, a look of slobbering adoration on her face, "Oh Linebeck, you were so brave back there with that boy… and when you were driving us to safety…"

Coming to a halt beside the two teens, he watched them for a moment, bemused. Mido had managed to get back to his feet, but Saria was still clinging to him, sobbing into his neck. Mido was awkwardly stroking her hair, though he looked pleased at the new turn of events. Clearing his throat roughly, he watched them separate, Saria still sniveling, Mido's face flushing scarlet until he realized who had made the noise.

"Mr. Smith!" He said, relieved, "You have no idea how good it is to see you… It's been crazy in there!"

Rusl smiled thinly. He was in no mood for Mido's antics today. "Mido, yes, it's good to see you're ok. I have a question for you…" He swallowed roughly, steeling himself for the worst. "Have you heard anything about Collin? Or Aryll?"

Mido looked confused. "Collin? You mean he's not out yet? I thought we'd be some of the last to escape…"

Rusl felt his heart sink. Mido hadn't seen him…

Saria looked horrified. "Collin? Oh my goddesses, I completely forgot about him! Oh, Mr. Smith…"

Rusl shrugged off her pity, and instead addressed Mido. "No, there are still a number of students in there. You're sure you haven't seen or heard anything that might…?"

Mido shook his head. "No, sir. Not at all. In fact, until Midna, the janitor, and Sheik busted in, I hadn't seen-"

"Sheik?" Rusl cut in. "Link Hero's friend?"

"Yeah." Mido said, sending Rusl an odd look. "See, Midna and the janitor snuck in, cause I guess they were gonna save us or something, but they got caught by Zant and two other guys with guns. Zant was gonna kill them, but then Sheik came in. He and Zant argued, because I guess Ganondorf had given them both orders, but Midna was supposed to be under Sheik's protection. But then Zant tried to kill Midna, so Sheik just punched him in the throat, and he just sorta… died… Then this other shooter went crazy and started shooting at everyone, and the other shooter, Byrne, jumped in front of me and…"

He swallowed, looking uncomfortable. "Well… anyway. He saved me, but he's dead now. Then the janitor picked up somebody's gun and shot the other guy, and then we escaped. Midna and Sheik stayed behind, though most of us hadn't even noticed until the bus was already taking off."

Rusl inhaled deeply, then let it all out in a rush. So… Sheik helped these ones escape, too. Perhaps he was on our side… And Byrne, another supposed bad guy, saving lives rather than taking… This was a confusing day.

Patting Mido on the back, he said softly. "That's alright, Mido. I'll take your full story later. For now, go with Saria and try to get some rest. You've had a rough day. You both have."

The two nodded and mumbled their assent, but Rusl barely heard them. As he walked back to join the other officers, his mind whirled. Collin was still missing. Aryll had been kidnapped. Ganondorf had some mad scheme that nobody knew about. And students were risking their lives, playing hero; Link, Sheik, Midna, Kafei… Some he knew well and cared for, others he'd never even heard of. But now, all of them were his responsibility. And he would save them. All of them. He would.

* * *

Alright! So, what did you think? I'm sorry there wasn't much action in this chapter, but I felt that finally explaining Ganon's master plan was enough drama for one chapter. Predictable, isn't it? Well... hopefully I'll be able to spice it up enough for you guys.

Anyway, I cut this chapter a bit short too, though this time it was for technical reasons. The part I removed just made more sense in the next chapter, so be looking forward for a dramatic next chapter as well.

Lastly, I wanna thank my awesome reviewers from last chapter; I love your faces. You rock. Let's get married. I'm sorry I haven't been able to respond to my reviewers... I'm one of those AOL users who have been getting screwed lately. I just made the shift to google though, so maybe now I'll actually get notices when I get a review.

Ok! See you again next week! Will Ganon's plan come to fruition? Will Rusl actually storm the school, putting the remaining students at risk, or will he wait it out a bit longer, also putting the students at risk? Will Sheik and Midna save Link and Aryll? Where is Kafei? For that matter, where the heck is Collin? And what about Zelda, the injured Ashei, and the sick Shad? All these questions and more will be answered... eventually!

Remember: Review, and stay Zesty

ZC


	12. Hit List

Wow... Ok. Sorry about the lateness guys, I've had a rough week. Between illness and my best friend getting sent to the emergency room because he's an idiot, I haven't had a lot of time to focus on writing. Still, I sacrificed some much needed sleep to get this chapter out, so please find it in your hearts to forgive me.

So, without further ado, here it is: Chapter 12

* * *

**Chapter 12**

**Hit List  
**

When the door opened, Aryll let out a frightened squeak and hid her head in her arms. Sitting there, trembling and hunched over in a corner next to a shelf full of computer paper, she silently willed herself not to start crying again.

_Please don't be here for me, please don't be here for me, please don't be here for me…_

"Wait here, Hero. And do try to be patient, I promise I'll be back to kill you soon." She heard a deep, commanding voice say, and with an all-too familiar grunt she heard someone stumble inside and fall to the floor.

Aryll whipped her head up in shock just as the closet door slammed shut, her eyes growing wide. There, sprawled out on the tiled floor in front of her, was Link. Her brother was here.

She was stunned. Relief washed over her and she felt inexplicably drained as she watched her brother slowly struggled to his knees, straining against the tape that bound his wrists behind his back. He had come for her. He had actually come for her…

"Link!" she squealed ecstatically, suddenly all energy, jump-tackling her big brother to the ground. He let out a surprised 'Oof!' as their bodies collided and they tumbled back to the floor, but she didn't care about his obvious discomfort. Winding her arms around his neck, she buried her face in his shoulder and tried to quell the tears that were threatening to burst forth.

Shoulders quaking, her heart still pounding uncontrollably in her chest, she choked softly, "You came… I can't believe…"

"Yeah, it's good to see you too, sis." He grunted from below her, sounding annoyed. "Now could you get off? You're crushing my pancreas…"

Giggling stupidly, she hastily straightened up, sniffling and wiping her eyes on the backs of her hands. She couldn't stop herself from doing a once over with her eyes; he looked a little worse for the wear, with a dried bloody gash on his forehead near his hairline. His hair itself was a mess, and his pants were filthy with dirt and dust. Somewhere along the line, he'd lost his beloved green hoodie, and she could now see he was wearing that stupid T-shirt for that Terminian band he loved so much, Skull Keeta. His face looked pale and grim, his lips pursed in thought, his eyes steely grey as they regarded her carefully.

With a start, she realized his arms were still pinned awkwardly behind his back with duct tape, and she jumped up.

"Oh, your hands! Sorry, I just… Here." She ruffled quickly through a file cabinet next to the door, pulled a screw out of a drawer labeled 'Miscellaneous' on a nearby shelf and hastened to her brother's side.

As she knelt down and began picking at his bindings, he muttered a soft thanks before jerking his head to the far side of the room and grunted sourly "What's up with them?"

Glancing up briefly to see what he was talking about and blowing her bangs out of her eyes, she found herself grimacing as she remembered that she wasn't the only person being held captive in the tiny storage room. Leaning against the far wall with her eyes closed, apparently asleep though she twitched occasionally, sat one of the attendants who worked in the office. At her side, hugging her knees to her chest, her wild eyes darting across the room, sat the other; her once prim hair now every bit as frazzled as her expression.

Neither one of the women had spoken to Aryll since she'd been brought in to join them. She wasn't sure if it was simply out of fear, or if something more sinister had happened to them, but at the moment she couldn't bring herself to care; she had too many friends who were in danger, too many who she didn't know whether they lived or had been killed, and she and Link were being held captive themselves. No, she wouldn't waste any energy worrying over those two women, not when there was nothing she could do to help them anyway.

Removing Link's bindings was taking longer than Aryll had thought it would. His wrists had been bound with several layers of tape, as if someone had feared he'd break through them through brute force like the Hulk. His arms were side-by-side, making it difficult to cut the tape without accidentally hurting him. Still, after a couple frustrated minutes, she managed a big enough tear. Seizing both edges, she gave a heavy tug, simultaneously ripping the tape in half and peeling it swiftly from Link's skin.

"Ok!" She said brightly, tossing the screw and the tape to the side, ignoring her brother's hiss of pain.

Link turned and sent her a dark glare as he massaged his forearms. "Gee, thanks for ripping all my arm hair out."

Aryll rolled her eyes wryly at his petulance. "Yeah yeah, whiney butt. Don't be such a wuss."

Link grumbled something under his breath as he absently scratched at the back of his hand. Aryll gasped, her eyes widening in shock when she noticed what he was doing.

"Link! What in Din's name did you do to your hand?"

He stiffened at her words. Slowly, tremulously, he turned his hand over and together the siblings stared down at the golden triangles that adorned the skin on the back of her brother's left hand.

Link's hands were trembling, and his breathing seemed to have stopped, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Aryll gave a pointed sniff, folding her arms crossly. "I can _not_ believe you did that. Grandma's going to kill you when she finds out you got a tattoo. And on your hand, of all places! What are you, mentally deficient? Did you think nobody would notice? And you didn't even tell me!"

Her brother said nothing, which irked her. He was obviously trying to play dumb. She couldn't believe he'd go out and get a tattoo, a _tattoo!_, and then hadn't told her! What, did he think he could hide it until he turned 18 and was legally allowed to get them? Sometimes, her brother's stupidity astounded even her.

Link still hadn't made a sound. His jaw was clenched tightly shut, his eyes closed and a heavy scowl on his face; she could only assume he was pissed that she'd discovered his secret. Well, he should have realized sooner that she'd see it when she was cutting him free, the moron.

"What is it, anyway? It looks familiar…" She asked curiously, cocking her head to the side.

"The Triforce." He said, his voice sounding hoarse. "It's the Triforce, the Golden Triangles of legend."

Aryll snorted. "Well, someone has an ego…"

His eye twitched, but he let her jab pass. He gave a loud, frustrated sigh and clenched his fists. The sound of his knuckles cracking reverberated around the small room.

Reaching out and grabbing his hand, she pulled it closer to get a better look. "Well, even though I still think you're an idiot, at least you got one that looks cool. It's really well done, too. You can barely even tell it's a tattoo; it looks like your skin itself turned gold, not like you got it inked on there at all. How come this one triangle is brighter than the others?"

"Huh?" He asked, sounding genuinely confused. He leaned forward, and together they peered at the back of his hand. The bottom right triangle was brighter than the others; it actually looked as though it were glowing.

"It's… the Triforce of Courage…" He whispered, sounding almost awed.

"More like the Triforce of Stupidity." She muttered, but Link didn't seem to have heard her. He was staring at the back of his left hand as though it were a poisonous snake that was going to strike him at any moment. She supposed that if she were the one having to look forward to explaining a tattoo to their grandmother, she wouldn't be very fond of it either.

Rolling her eyes, she sighed and turned back to him. "Look, just relax. We have bigger problems right now than Grandma finding out you went and got a tattoo without permission. Like, say… how we're gonna get out of here?"

Giving his head a quick jerk to clear his thoughts, Link sent her a dry look. "Get out of here? My daring rescue plan didn't exactly go as I had hoped, so I'm fresh out of ideas. It's your turn to think of something."

"Daring rescue plan?" She asked curiously, and Link gave a bitter chuckle.

"Well, it was kinda a long shot anyway, but it was the only thing we could think of-"

"Whoa whoa whoa, we? What are you talking about? Start from the beginning. Who is we, and what was your plan? And… how did you even know I was here?"

Sighing, Link turned to lean his back against the rickety metal shelf and began recounting his tale. Almost too casually, he stuffed his hands in his pockets to hide the tattoo and let his legs stretch out their full length, coming just short of the opposite wall.

He began with him climbing through the air vents with Ashei and Shad in order to escape the shooters when the attack had started, which led to him seeing her in Miss Marie's geometry class. From there, he'd made the decision to leave the other two kids and find a way to rescue her.

"That was stupid." Aryll cut in, scowling at her brother. "Brave, but stupid. You could have gotten out!"

"What, and leave you behind? No way! Besides, grandma would have killed me anyway, and she's way scarier than Ganondorf or any of his flunkies."

Aryll offered a small smile at his jest, but still wasn't appeased. "Link… You should have gotten out. We're all grandma has left, and if we both die here today… I just don't want her to be all alone…"

"She won't be." Link said, determination flashing through his eyes. "You're getting out of here, no matter what. Both of us are. The Hero's aren't losing anymore family members; not to Ganon, not to anyone."

Aryll snorted, rolling her eyes at his bravado, but inwardly she felt warmed by her older brother's words; Link never went back on his word.

"You remember what Grandpa used to say when he'd talk about how dad died?" He asked suddenly, resting his head back against the metal shelf behind him.

"You mean how he disobeyed his commanding officer's orders and ran back to try and save our uncle in the middle of that skirmish in Labrynna?"

"Well, yeah," he said, shifting around awkwardly; he must have realized how similar his actions that day trying to save her had been to their father trying to save their uncle. In the end, bravery and loyalty hadn't turned out so well for their father… "But I meant more specifically that hokey little saying he had."

"Uh… No?" Aryll replied, wracking her brain but coming up with nothing.

Link sent her a cocky grin. "He always used to say 'A Hero is braver in the midst of battle than at the end.' I think he got it from a fortune cookie or something. Anyway, he said that's why dad ran back for our uncle; because he was a Hero. Literally. It was kind of a pun. So… I couldn't just leave you behind. Not after what dad did, not after grandpa's stories. Besides, you're my little sister."

Aryll felt a sudden surge of affection for her brother, and contemplated dropping her scolding tone and giving him a hug… until he added, "I mean, who else can I get to make me food and do the dishes when I'm lazy?"

"Brat." She said, smacking his arm, and they both laughed.

"Do you know what happened to the other two?" she asked, getting back to the topic at hand.

"Shad and Ashei?" He shook his head. "Nah. But I'm guessing they managed to make it out alive. I heard a crashing noise just before I got out, which I assume was them breaking out of the vent and getting outside."

"Ok, so… What happened next?"

So he continued his story, telling of how he saw one of the shooters was about to kill Darunia and Ruto, and how he fell through the ceiling at just the right time, landing on top of the would-be killer.

"Wait, you fell through the ceiling?" she said, incredulous.

"Um… Basically." He gave a nervous laugh and scratched the back of his head.

"You just happened to accidentally fall through the ceiling at the exact moment that the shooter was going to kill someone?"

He was silent, and she seethed.

"You idiot!" She screeched, punching him on the arm with all the strength she could muster. "You did it on purpose, didn't you? You jumped down! You could have died!"

"Well what was I supposed to do?" He shot back, rubbing his arm. "Just leave them to get killed? What kind of creep do you take me for?"

Glaring, she bit her lip, tapping her foot angrily on the tiled floor. He was right, of course; if it was her, she liked to think she would have done the same. She had no right to be mad at him for saving someone's life. Not that she was happy about it.

"You're still an idiot." She remarked flatly. "Then what happened? None of this explains how you came to be here."

With a frustrated sigh, he continued, telling how he'd wandered through the halls looking for another entrance to the vents where he could travel safely, when suddenly he'd run into Sheik.

"Sheik?" Aryll exclaimed, stunned. "He's ok? He was trying to escape too?"

"Er… Not exactly…"

As he told her about Sheik revealing he was working with Ganondorf and their ensuing fight, she was horrified. Sheik? One of the bad guys? There was no way! It wasn't possible!

As Link went on to describe how he'd ducked a rather ferocious swing and used his apparently impressive skills to ram his friend up against the wall, Aryll cut in with an aggravated "Wait, hold up, I'm confused. How could Sheik be a bad guy? I mean, he's… Sheik."

She didn't really need to expound on that. Him being Sheik was all the explanation she need give.

Link sighed heavily. "Look, he's not a bad guy anymore. Can I finish my story already?"

"Fine…" Aryll grumbled petulantly.

And press on he did. From Sheik almost shooting Link and his shocking news that his mother had passed away to him and Link running off together to find her. She could honestly say she was touched that her brother and his best friend were so worried about her…

His next sentence blew her out of the water.

"Wait, Zelda? And ANJU?"

He nodded. "Yup. Go figure; I find the group you were with not even five minutes after you left."

Aryll's mouth was gapping like a fish out of water. "But… But… Where are they? Are they all right? Is Anju…?"

"Whoa, whoa, calm down!" He said, exasperated, gently patting her shoulders as she tried to quell her wildly beating heart. Anju… She'd been forced to leave her to die in that hallway… How could she ever forgive herself?

"Sheik and I took over the situation." he said gently. "Sheik sent the other armed guys off, and we got Zelda, Saria, Malon, and the others to carry Anju to an exit that Sheik knew of. As far as we know, they made it out ok."

They'd gotten Anju out? Then she was ok! Aryll stared at her brother in shock and, admittedly, awe. He'd done so much, helped so many people, and all she'd done is cower in a classroom and get captured…

Leaning her head against his shoulder, she murmured "Maybe that tattoo does suit you…"

For some reason she couldn't understand, Link tensed up. Then, with a hesitant sigh, he draped his arm over her shoulder, giving her a comforting squeeze.

"So… what was yours and Sheik's plan? And why are you captured like me? Is it a part of it?"

Link opened his mouth to answer, when suddenly the door once again swung open. Aryll jumped, and at her side her brother snapped his arms back behind him to hide where he'd been cut free.

In stepped a gaunt, sullen faced boy with a lethal looking Mohawk. Aryll felt fear seize her heart as he calmly regarded the huddled secretaries, and then turned his attention slowly to the siblings in the corner.

"Ah… Hero… You have a visitor."

Link blinked in consternation, moving as though to stand.

"Sorry, not you. The other Hero."

It was Aryll's turn to be confused. Exchanging worried glances with her brother, she slowly rose to her feet, taking a hesitant step forward.

"Where…? Who is…?"

Aryll swallowed hard, trying in vain to get her voice to work. Before she could manage another question, the boy cut in.

"He's waiting in Ganondorf's office." He said monotonously, standing back to let her out.

She nodded faintly, feeling ill. Ganondorf's office… This couldn't be good.

Before she could take a step, her brother spoke up from behind her.

"If you hurt her, I'll make sure your end is long and painful. You have my word." His voice was rough and grating, like the growl of some feral beast. Before she could turn back to give him a reassuring look, the quiet boy strode forward and seized her wrist, jerking her out of the relative safety of the storage room.

The door banged shut behind her with a loud crack, making her squeak. Before she could gather her bearings, the boy opened the door directly across from them and she was dragged into what had once been the Principal's office.

He threw her forward roughly, and she staggered a few steps before losing her balance and tumbling forward. She managed to get her arms up, bracing for impact with the ground, but to her surprise she was caught by a pair of soft, warm arms.

"Aryll!" Someone said, sounding relieved.

Eyes snapping open, Aryll stared up in confusion at the gentle blonde-haired face above her.

"C-Collin?" She breathed weakly, letting him pull her to her feet and envelope her in a bone-crushing hug.

"Oh goddesses, you're alright!" He let out a forced laugh, holding her out at arms length to get a better look at her. Collin himself looked haggard; his skin pale, worry lines etched into his face. His slate-grey eyes boring into her own cerulean ones, almost as though they were palpating for injury.

Finally, something within her clicked, and with a sudden cry she rushed forward, hugging him fiercely.

"I thought… You were just gone, and I thought…" She managed weakly between relieved sobs, painfully aware of how warm and real and stable he was, letting him support her weight as her own legs didn't feel up to the task.

"Shh…" He whispered softly, stroking her hair softly. "It's alright. It's gonna be alright. I'm gonna get you out of here…"

With the shock of seeing her boyfriend, alive and healthy before her, she hadn't spared a glance for the rest of the room. With her face buried in the crook of Collin's neck, she didn't see the indomitable figure sitting leisurely in the Principal's chair. It didn't stop her from hearing him, however, and her body froze in sheer terror as she heard his dark, booming laughter.

"Ah, how… touching." She heard him remark sadistically. Slowly, rigidly, Aryll pulled away from Collin and turned to face the man. There, grinning humorlessly at her, his eyes black pools that seemed to swallow what little light there was around them, sat the one who had started this all. Ganondorf.

"What…?" She began weakly, but Collin reached out, touching her arm to silence her.

"I've come to take her." He said, and for the first time she realized how shaky he sounded, how vulnerable.

"Indeed?" Ganondorf mused, resting his chin on his interlocked hands. Aryll gasped in shock as she realized that Ganondorf sported the same odd tattoo as Link, though on the other hand.

"Y-You made a promise…" Collin said, sounding strained, almost pleading. Aryll's skin prickled. Promise? Collin had made a promise with _Ganondorf_?

Ganon laughed again, sending ripples of ice through her veins. "True, I did. Normally, I'd just kill you both, but I'm feeling rather generous at the moment. After all, I have all the students I need; two more will avail me nothing. And I have my sacrifice. Yes, Smith, take your woman and flee. Flee like the coward you are. You have served your purpose."

Collin hesitated a moment, then quickly grabbed Aryll's arm to drag her backward toward the door. Aryll felt numb, Ganondorf's words echoing in her head. He had served his purpose? What purpose? Collin couldn't possibly…

Suddenly, Link's words about Sheik secretly being in on Ganondorf's plans resounded in her head, and Aryll tore her arm from her boyfriend's grip with a snarl.

"Stop!" She cried out desperately, ignoring the emotion that tainted her words. Collin stumbled, looking frantic. Ganondorf merely cocked his eyebrow at her in amusement.

"What… What do you mean 'served his purpose'? Tell me, Ganondorf!"

Aryll's vehement demand seemed to echo around the silent office for a moment, and all was still. Slowly, a cruel smile worked its way across Ganondorf's face, his dark eyes glowing with amusement.

"Aryll, come on…" Collin hissed hurriedly in her ear, once again grabbing her arm, but she slapped his hand away.

"Come now, Smith." Ganondorf chuckled darkly, "What's wrong? Isn't honesty the most important part of a working relationship? Surely you're not going to keep this from her?"

Collin froze, looking petrified, his wide eyes gazing at her imploringly.

"Tell me." She whispered, the quiet plea meant for Collin, but it was Ganondorf who answered.

"Early this morning, when we were getting set up for today's events, we were discovered." His voice was soft, but no less domineering, seemingly casting his dark aura around the room, thriving off of Aryll and Collin's pain. "Young Smith here overheard one of my less intelligent flunkies discussing my plans for today, and he tried to run off to alert the authorities."

Here, Ganondorf's smile turned truly malevolent and he leaned forward, clearly enjoying himself.

"Naturally, I couldn't allow this. Smith was detained. Originally I was merely going to end his life, until someone told me that he was the son of the chief of police who even now has this school surrounded as he tries futilely to interfere with my plans. So, I offered Smith a choice: either die then and there, or make himself useful and perform certain tasks for me in exchange for his life… including telling me the locations of certain students, and giving me the frequency to the police radios so that my servants could intercept their transmissions and prevent any valiant effort by the police to rescue the students. And do you know what he said, Hero?"

To her side, Collin was trembling, staring down at the large bloodstain on the carpet, refusing eye contact. Aryll kept her gaze locked on her boyfriend, but she drank in every word Ganon said. Logically, she knew the answer must have been yes, seeing as he was still alive and standing before her, but she adamantly refused to believe it. . Collin couldn't have… He couldn't have betrayed so many lives just to save himself… had he?

"You didn't…" She quietly pleaded, and Collin visibly flinched.

Ganon let out a dark laugh. "Correct. He did not."

Aryll whipped her head back toward Ganon.

"What?" She said thickly, sniffling. "Then why…?"

"He offered up a different stipulation. Rather than his life for the lives of countless others and the information I required… He asked for yours."

Aryll felt as though the ground had dropped out from beneath her. She bit her lip as tears flooded her eyes, streaming down her cheeks. She shook her head desperately, her golden pigtails whipping around, refusing to believe what he was telling her. He had agreed… Collin… Her Collin. Her boyfriend. Had exchanged her life for the lives of every student and teacher who had died thus far. They were dead… because of her.

"He couldn't… He didn't…" Her breathing became erratic as she looked back and forth between Collin's rigid form and Ganondorf's greedy smirk.

Darting forward, she seized the front of her boyfriend's shirt, forcing him to face her.

"Look at me!" She cried. "Look at me! Din, how many people did you let die today? You could have saved them! The police could have saved them by now, but you… You…"

She broke down, sinking to her knees, still clinging to his shirt as though she was drowning. And in a way, she was.

"I… I couldn't let you die…" He whispered hoarsely, and she froze.

"My life isn't worth it!" She sobbed quietly, overwhelmed by despair.

"Enough of this pathetic display of emotion."

Ganondorf's powerful voice cut through her tears, silencing her. "You've done well, Collin. You found the one's I needed, and for that you have my thanks. Now, leave me. I have work to do."

Aryll went rigid. Slowly climbing to her feet, she turned to Ganondorf, resolve burning in her gut.

"Please, tell me…" She said shakily, forcing herself to face the dark-skinned boy. "Who… Who did Collin help you find?"

Inwardly, she knew that this information wasn't going to help anyone. But Collin had paid for her safety with their lives, and when she got out she was going to find someway to make amends. If Ganondorf wanted them, it was obviously because he wanted them dead. She would need to tell their families, to help them out. Somehow… She would try to quell the guilt within her, somehow…

Ganondorf studied her for a moment, silently weighing and measuring. She returned his piercing gaze coolly, though her hands were still trembling and tears were still pouring from her eyes.

"They were the ones necessary to my plans." He said finally. "Those who were marked for death for one reason or another. My 'Hit List', if you will. Those who I felt were the closest to the one I despise. I plan to end them in order to bring him greater pain, and to prove my power."

Something chilled in Aryll's heart. "And… My brother…?"

Ganondorf's eyes seemed to gleam. "Why… He was the first one I had Collin locate."

Anguish consumed her. She'd been betrayed by the boy who was supposed to care for her more than any other… and now he'd signed her brother's death warrant.

Lost in her despair, she didn't hear Ganondorf once again bark the order to leave, nor did she feel Collin grab her arm and tug her out of the office. She had gone completely numb.

* * *

Shad's wheezing was really beginning to worry Zelda.

Sure, he had told them he'd be able to handle it, but there was something about his tone that had told her he was just trying to be tough. _He's such a guy…_ she grumbled inwardly, though to be fair Ashei was behaving the same way. The girl couldn't move without both Zelda and Shad supporting her, but she still insisted on behaving as though she were the one leading their expedition. .

The trek down the hallway that would have taken a normal person all of thirty seconds had taken them what felt like five minutes. They had to go slowly so that they didn't jostle Ashei too much and cause the injured girl more pain than was strictly necessary. Her face was ghostly pale and sweaty, but she had a fiercely determined look in her eyes and she was constantly chiding them to move faster.

Shad hadn't said a word since they'd left Vaati's body behind. Zelda felt her heart go out to him, but knew better than to try and talk to him about what had happened. It was too soon for one thing, and they didn't exactly have time to slow down for a heart to heart. Their pace was slow enough as it is, and they had to stop occasionally as Shad was overcome with periodic coughing fits. Every time, he'd shake his head when Zelda would hesitantly ask if he needed a break, and Ashei would send him a quick, furtive, guilty look before urging them to press on.

Finally, after what surely must have been at least ten minutes, they managed to walk the length of the hall and enter the eerily silent cafeteria.

"We're nearly there, guys." She panted, trying her best to sound reassuring as they neared the familiar door with the grimy circular window that led into the kitchens.

"Good." Ashei muttered sourly. "Out of the death trap and into a hospital. Today's going wonderfully."

Zelda opened her mouth to take a stab at lighthearted comment, when suddenly she felt a strange pressure inside her head. Her steps faltered as she gingerly raised her free hand to clutch her temple. She had a brief second in which she saw Ashei cast her a concerned look before her mind went completely blank.

There was a pause, in which she saw nothing but a foggy white expanse stretch out before her. It was as if she were floating in a never-ending sea of clouds. She felt ethereal, floating there; panic beginning to set in when she realized that she couldn't feel the ground beneath her feet. Abruptly, the clouds before her began to shift and form, melding together into vaguely definable shapes, and she found herself looking at three figures walking awkwardly, two supporting the third between them, creeping through a doorway into a kitchen…

With a jolt, her eyes widened in shock as she realized she was looking at herself, Shad, and Ashei. Even as she watched, the trio trudged toward the back door with increasing haste, not paying heed to their surroundings. Suddenly, from the edge of her vision, various figures appeared. Popping up from behind counters, stepping out from behind fridges or other large appliances, surrounding the trio. They put their hands up, admitting defeat, but the shooters didn't give them a chance. Without warning, they opened fire, and in horror Zelda watched as the cloudy images of herself and her friends crumpled to the floor, unmoving, like marionettes who's strings had just been cut.

Slowly, the fog began to overtake the image, blurring the scene she had just witnessed. Even as the blank whiteness reclaimed her vision, she heard a strange voice whisper in her ear, at once softer than silk and more vast than the ocean, "_Turn back, my daughter… Turn back…"_

Just as suddenly as it had overtaken her, it was gone. Zelda gave a brief start, staring around her in shock. She was still in the cafeteria with Shad and Ashei, standing right in front of the door that she had seen moments before.

"Zelda?" Ashei asked curiously, giving her an odd look, but Zelda continued to stare at the door before them, her heart hammering away in her chest.

What had just happened? What had she just seen? Was it some sort of… Vision? Premonition? If they opened the door and entered the kitchen, were they going to be killed just like she'd seen in that bizarre, cloudy place that she'd been floating in only seconds earlier?

No… No, that was impossible. People don't see the future, especially not teenage girls like her. It was just stress getting to her. Yes, that was it… she was just paranoid. Still… should she risk it?

Quietly, she heard the ghost of a whisper brush her mind.

"_Turn back… Turn back…"_

"Hey, are you ok? Can you hear me?"

With a jolt, Zelda returned to reality just as Shad began waving his hand frenetically in front of her face.

"What?" she said blankly, and Shad gave a raspy chuckle.

"Oh good, we thought your mind had shut down on us."

"And here I thought Shad was the unstable one." Ashei joked smugly, and Shad sent her a disgruntled look.

"You're not funny."

"Really? Cause I think-"

"Stop!" Zelda interrupted shrilly, "We have to turn back!"

Ashei and Shad both sent her baffled looks.

"Do _what_?" Ashei said incredulously.

"Zelda, we can't afford to turn back." Shad said, chuckling hesitantly, "Ashei needs medical attention."

"Yeah, and Einstein here is gonna cough up a lung any second now."

Zelda's heart was beginning to pound desperately in her chest. The whisper came again, this time more urgent. _"Turn back!"_

Something akin to dread was seizing Zelda's heart as she glanced at the door before her, and she turned to the other two in desperation.

"Please! I know this sounds crazy, but you have to trust me! Something bad is going to happen if we go in there!"

"Zelda, what in Farore's name are you-"

"We can't just turn back! We've come this far-"

Somehow, Zelda knew that if she didn't move them now, they were doomed. With a wordless snarl, she jerked them to the side, hauling them back toward the hallway they'd just abandoned. She had the advantage; she wasn't overly strong, but with Shad and Ashei both in their weakened state, she was easily able to overpower them.

Shad let out an indignant squawk as she dragged them hastily into the hall, hurrying to support Ashei's weight before she fell. Just to their left was a doorway that led to the snack bar the school used during basketball games. Somehow, she knew that the door would be unlocked. Without pause, the turned on the spot, flung the door wide, and jerked the two teens inside, quickly shutting the door behind her.

In her desperation, she had forgotten about Ashei's injury. As Zelda turned to press her ear against the door, she let go of Ashei. The wounded girl stumbled forward, desperately clinging to Shad to keep her balance. With a heavy grunt and a hiss of pain, the two teens fell against a nearby counter.

"Are you crazy?" Shad demanded hoarsely, steadying Ashei with one arm around her waist, the other one keeping them balanced on the counter. Ashei's mouth was stretched in a rictus of pain as she clutched weakly at her leg, though it didn't stop her from sending Zelda a murderous look.

"Nohanson, I swear to Din, if you don't explain yourself right now-"

"Shh!" Zelda hissed, waving her hand blindly behind her to silence them, her ear still pressed against the cold wooden door.

There was silence for a few moments, the quiet broken by nothing other than the trio's frantic panting; Zelda's from fear, Ashei's from pain, Shad's from his strained airway. Suddenly, from the hall beyond, they heard the unmistakable echo of footsteps and the indistinct murmur of voices.

Ashei and Shad had identical looks of dumfounded surprise on their faces, but Zelda remained focused on listening through the door. The footsteps slowly grew closer, and she could tell they belonged to more than one person. As they neared the room they were hiding in, Zelda felt panic begin to override her other emotions; were they too late? Had she not acted in time? The mysterious voice was no longer speaking to her, and she silently wondered if she had merely imagined it all.

A sudden coarse grunt from just outside her door cut through her thoughts.

"There's nobody here."

There was a muffled curse from further down the hall, this one high-pitched and nasally. "I could have sworn I heard somebody!"

A third, decidedly female speaker joined in, chuckling darkly. "Yeah, sure. It's just those voices in your head again, Cole."

"Shut up, Aveil!" The second speaker spat, enraged, but the first speaker overrode him.

"Whatever. Let's just get back to the kitchen before Ganondorf see's we've left our post. He's got quite the temper on him." And to Zelda's immense relief, the speakers began to walk away.

Once the footsteps had completely faded into the distance, Zelda let out a relieved sigh and sunk to her knees, her forehead pressed against the cool wooden door. That had been close… If she had waited any longer…

Taking a deep, steadying breath, Zelda turned her attention back to Ashei and Shad… and froze. The two wounded teens were standing side-by-side, identical looks of surprise, apprehension, and anger reflected across their faces.

"How…" the taller girl began, pausing for a moment to lick her lips and send Shad a surreptitious look, "How did you know they were in there?"

"I…"

Truthfully, Zelda didn't know how to answer her question. What was she supposed to say? 'Oh sorry, I looked into the future and saw that if we kept going, we would have all been shot to death'? Yeah, that would go over well. They'd think she'd gone crazy, which was something Zelda couldn't be sure wasn't the truth.

But what happened? One minute, she'd been talking to the other two, and the next she was watching them get murdered in that strange fog… And something had spoken to her. Some sort of presence had warned her about the trap Ganondorf had laid for unsuspecting students who were trying to escape…

Before she could formulate some more believable excuse, Ashei scowled and cut her off.

"Why am I even bothering to ask? There's only one way she could have known they'd be in there…"

Zelda's jaw dropped in shock. "You… You think I'm one of them?"

"Well, what other excuse is there?" Ashei shot back acidly.

Shad sent Zelda a calculating look through his bent spectacles, pursing his lips shrewdly as he considered Ashei's words. After a painfully drawn out pause in which Zelda considered various worst-case scenarios, he shook his head and sighed.

"No… That doesn't make any sense. If she was one of them, why did Vaati have her tied up in the first place? Why would she be helping us escape? And why would she have stopped us from getting caught in the trap?"

Zelda felt a sudden surge of relief; Nayru bless Shad for his cool use of logic!

Ashei didn't look appeased.

"Well then how did she know about them?" she snarled at Shad, and he shrugged.

"Why don't we let Zelda tell us?" he replied, sounding half amused at Ashei's anger, half curious at Zelda's answer.

"I… heard them…" She offered weakly, wincing at how horrible she was at lying. Ashei and Shad both sent her flat looks.

"What?" She snapped, suddenly getting frustrated at the accusation in their eyes. She absently began scratching at the back of her right hand as she frantically sought for an answer other than the one she knew she couldn't give them.

"Look, _blondie_," Ashei spat viciously, somehow managing to appear threatening despite the bullet hole in her thigh, "We don't have a lot of time for this. Just tell us already!"

Zelda took a step back, then felt her spine stiffen and scowled. Why was she being put on the question here? Hadn't she just saved their lives? Who cares how she'd done it, it had been done and they ought to be grateful!

Putting her hands on her hips, she drew herself up to her full height and returned Ashei's glare with full force. Opening her mouth in fury, she only had a split-second warning before it happened again.

It was as though someone had thrown a sheet over her eyes; everything had gone white. The endless foggy expanse stretched out before her; there was no sound, and no ground beneath her feet to support her. She was floating in a never ending sea of clouds… again.

Just as before, the clouds before her began to twist and turn just as they had before, coalescing into barely definable shapes. She recognized the outline of a building first, and with a gasp she recognized Ordon High. As the image came into sharper focus, she realized she was seeing the outside of the building, and surrounding the school were… police officers.

Her vision quickly grew blurry, and the scene changed. When it came back into focus, she could see a well-groomed sturdy man with a fluffy mustache standing in front of a group of black swathed cops, apparently giving orders. Whatever she was seeing, it seemed to be visually oriented; no sound. As she watched, he waved a single arm over his head in a beckoning gesture and set off at a trot towards the back of the school. Behind him, a team of men with dark S.W.A.T. vests followed him, black masks on, totting sleek shiny rifles in their arms.

The scene blurred once again, and suddenly they were sneaking into a small door on the back of the school. They rushed quickly into the kitchens, swarming out in every direction, checking that the coast was clear before pressing on out into the cafeteria, the man with the mustache in the lead.

As the team fanned out, quickly crossing the cafeteria threshold, Zelda managed to catch a brief flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye before it happened: The officers were ambushed.

From out of various doorways and around the corners of the halls, multiple gunshots rang out. Everywhere officers began dropping like flies, clutching fitfully at legs or arms. Their body armor was doing some good, but not enough. From the balcony that overlooked the commons area, she could see Ganondorf's wickedly leering face before he turned, striding back down the hall.

In the room below, the officers were struggling to rally, but they didn't stand a chance against the rain of bullets. A few of the officers managed to take down a number of attackers, but the losses were far greater on the police side. With his face screwed up in pain, she watched the mustachioed man fall to the ground, clutching at his neck, crimson blood spilling out between his fingers. Even as he hit the ground, she saw light reflect off of the badge on his chest: the words Chief Rusl Smith standing out clearly against the golden metal.

"_Hurry, daughter."_

The voice was back, whispering softly into her ear as the image of the dying man faded from view, his paling face growing blurry and dull…

"_Hurry…"_

She was once again lost, floating in the sea of white nothingness. She scrambled desperately, screaming as her heart thundered in her chest, her hand outstretched, straining towards the faded image. That man! He was going to die! She had to do something!

As she struggled to return to reality, the vast, bodiless voice continued to echo in her head. _"Hurry… Hurry…"_

"Zelda!"

Zelda came back to reality with a snap, her mind jarring with the sudden contact. Her knees gave out and she fell forward, her arms wind-milling frantically in the air. Luckily, Shad darted forward and caught her.

"Zelda, what- Are you ok? What happened?" His voice, still scratchy and sore, had a definite note of panic. His eyes carefully searched her face, looking worried and confused.

Zelda quickly pushed away, running her hands frantically through her hair. "The police are going to storm the school! But it's a trap! Ganondorf somehow knows about it and he's gonna catch them off guard and kill them! Come on, we've got to do something!"

With the severity of the impeding situation weighing heavily on Zelda's mind, she didn't even once pause to think about how the other two must be taking her pronouncement and how clearly ludicrous she must sound. Reaching the door, she turned around expecting to see them following her and instead found them standing still, staring at her apprehensively.

"Zelda…" Ashei said slowly, still clutching to the counter for support, "Are you… feeling ok?"

"What?" She said breathlessly, sending her a baffled look. "I'm fine, why?"

Shad and Ashei sent each other quizzical looks.

"Um… Well, you got all rigid there for a moment, and your eyes were all unfocused…"

"Your pupils were severely dilated." Shad said softly, concern lacing his words. "And you were screaming…"

Zelda stared at him blankly. Her pupils were what? _Screaming_? They didn't have time for this now! They had to hurry up and…

The sudden understanding of their words hit her like a brick to the stomach. It had happened again; she'd had another vision-premonition thingy. Of course, they hadn't known that; they thought she was having a fit or something. Sighing heavily, she felt her mind spinning with ways to convince them to believe her…

"Zelda, I think the stress is getting to you…" Shad said gently, stepping forward and gently touching her arm. "Maybe you should sit down for a minute…"

Jerking her hand away where she had been absently scratching the area below her knuckles again, Zelda bit her lip anxiously. There was no way of knowing how long they had before her vision came true, of which she had no doubt it would. All she knew was that for some reason, something inside her was telling her she needed to get moving if they were going to have any hope of preventing it.

"Listen," She said quickly, glancing quickly between the two worried teens, "I know this is going to sound absolutely insane, but you need to believe me. I knew something bad would happen if went into the kitchen; I don't know how, I just did. And just like then, I _know_ that if we don't hurry, there's going to be a massacre in the cafeteria, and we can stop it. Please," she added desperately, seeing the two exchange worried looks, "I know you think I've lost it, but it's true. I can't explain it, it's just…"

She didn't know what else to say. She hung her head in defeat, scratching at her hand again. It was so itchy all of a sudden… Softly, in her ear, she heard the whisper again. _Hurry…_

"What's wrong with your hand?"

Shad's sudden question drew her out of her depressed reverie. Glancing down at her hand, she could see it had grown red from all the scratching she'd done. Except… something was odd about it. The aggravated area was somehow in the shape of a large triangle.

"I… I don't know…" She said, allowing a brief second of surprise wash over her at the oddness of the shape; surely she hadn't been scratching her hand in the shape of a triangle?

"You must have splashed some of that cleaner on you from before." he said gently, "I told you to be careful-"

With a jolt, she realized he was trying to distract her, to get her thinking about something else.

"Fine then!" she spat suddenly, throwing her hands up in the air in frustration. "If you won't believe me, then I'll go do it myself!"

"Wait!" Shad cried out, but Zelda ignored him. Turning on her heel, she threw the door open viciously and stepped out into the empty hall.

Maybe she was going mad… But the first vision had been correct, and if there was even the slightest chance the second one was too, then she would do anything it took to prevent it. Without really understanding why, she turned and headed toward the stairwell that led to the second floor, all the while listening to the urgent whisper in her ear.

_Hurry…_

_

* * *

_

Ganondorf sat impassively, his finger steepled as he stared at the door to his newfound sanctum, a pensive frown on his face. That girl had certainly been an emotional one; her pathetic simpering tears had tried drastically on his patience. He'd been tempted multiple times throughout their brief meeting to simply pull out his gun and end her sniveling, but he knew he mustn't be hasty. Haste ruined the work.

Still… it had been reckless to tell the girl all that he had, though he doubted she understood it. Of his henchmen, only Zant, Vaati, and Sakon knew this truer extent to his plans.

Killing Hero, his enemy, was his Coup de Grace, his masterstroke, the key that he needed to obtain the fabled Triforce of Power. But even just killing his enemy wasn't enough; he needed to make him see, make him know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he was the more powerful one. And it was for that reason that his 'Hit List' had been born.

He had used his men to gather intelligence before they'd planned their strike against the school; carefully, he'd compiled a list of the people Hero was closest to, written them down, planned out where'd they'd be, what classes they had and at what times… And soon, just before he executed Hero and claimed his birthright, he would force him to sit and watch as the ones he loved were murdered mercilessly before his eyes.

Collin Smith. Midna Twili. Sheik Shadow. Aryll Hero. And finally, Link Hero himself. He would end them all, right here in this room. If only he could have gotten his elderly grandmother… but no matter. Four would be sufficient. Hero would cower before his might.

A low, dark chuckle emanated from Ganondorf's throat. How perfect it would be! How brilliant and masterful! And that wasn't even the best part… Two members on the list had come to him, had been working for him, and even now believed that they were safe from Ganondorf's wrath. And they had done so to protect two other students, who were also slated for death. Their faces when they realized that all their sacrifice had been for naught would be priceless. The anticipation was killing him.

He had instructed various subordinates to watch the exits, to kill any students who planned to escape, but he had given them special instruction for those on the list. They were to be taken and brought before him, and made to kneel and await their demise. Even now, the cowardly Smith boy was leading Hero's sniveling sister to what they both believed was safety. They would soon be captured and brought back. True, he could have just kept them here when Smith showed up and demanded for the girl's release like the insolent brat he was, but watching his spirit break when he realized their 'deal' had all been a sham was too delicious an opportunity to pass up.

Then there was Shadow… Foolish boy. Foolish… and easily manipulated. He had brought Hero right to him, and was even now bringing Twili. His little stunt in the gym was, in a word, unfortunate. Zant was a useful pawn, but his death was one more thing Ganondorf wouldn't have to bother with later on.

Ganon's lips twisted wryly. Shadow's actions had been impressive though. To think he had the nerve to take Zant's life; perhaps he hadn't given him enough credit. Still, seemed to have forgotten that Ganon had the surveillance cameras under his control and had witnessed the entire spectacle. It was a shame to lose so many hostages, but he had known that Shadow wouldn't abandon his friend, and he was pleased to see Twili accompanying him as they crept through the halls, heedless of Ganon's ever watching eye.

And yet…

Despite the near omniscience that the cameras afforded him, they couldn't see everywhere and he still had no idea as to the whereabouts of Vaati… The boy wouldn't have abandoned him, of that Ganon was sure; any number of witnesses could place him as Ganon's cohort, and had he tried to escape he surely would have been arrested. It was possible that he was busy quelling insurrection amongst their prisoners, but that didn't explain why he wasn't answering his summons.

Frowning, Ganon opened the laptop on the desk and shuffled through the various video streams. Hallway after empty hallway met his eye, occasionally getting a glimpse inside the band room or the commons area. There, just now entering the second floor, was Shadow and Twili; he was drawing nearer, but wasn't a threat. There was little he could do to stop him now. As soon as Sakon reported in, they could begin the final stages of his plan. Another blank hallway, the cafeteria, the kitchen with his foolish servants pigging out on tiny cups of pudding and diced fruit, a blonde girl, another hallway-

Ganondorf blinked and quickly shuffled back. A blonde girl, her face looking half infuriated, half terrified, was slowly making her way down one of the second floor hallways. His brows furrowed as he watched her movements. She wasn't headed towards an exit… In fact, she didn't seem sure where she was going at all. With a grunt, he flipped through a few more screens and paused as he saw yet another student wandering the halls; this one a male with rather long purple hair. Ganon sighed; yet another hapless would-be escapee. Soon enough, they'd be scooped up by a patrol or-

"My lord."

Ganon sighed, reaching for the Walkie that sat on the desk to his right. "Speak, Sakon. Have you located Vaati?"

"Yes, sir. His body is located just below one of the camera's blind spots on the first floor near in the band room, in a puddle of some foul smelling cleaner." Sakon's voice was crackly with static, but no less subservient.

"Body?"

"Yes, my lord. It would seem he was killed sometime recently, as his corpse is still warm. I don't see any wounds, so I cannot say as to what killed him…"

Ganondorf sat back in his chair, looking thoughtfully at the boy who was skulking down the hall on his computer screen.

"Would you like me to bring his body up, Lord Ganondorf?"

"No." He replied tersely. "Leave it. Make your way back to my office… and take the stairs in front of you. You'll find a student wandering the halls with long, purple hair. Find him and bring him to me. He may be the one responsible for Vaati's death."

"Purple hair?" Came Sakon's questioning voice, and Ganondorf scowled.

"Do I need to repeat myself with my every command?" He demanded through the small metal device, and he could imagine Sakon's stricken face as he quickly stammered his apologies.

"Good. Make it quick."

As he set the Walkie down, there was a firm knock at the door.

"You may enter." He announced loudly, resting his chin on his fist, pushing the laptop closed.

"Ganon," Grog said, his tone flat and apathetic as always. "You asked me to report if anything came in through the police scanner."

"I did." He replied simply. "And?"

"It would seem they are finally ready to take aggressive action. They are planning to storm the school by taking advantage of the kitchen's back door, led by Chief Rusl Smith."

Ganondorf growled bitterly. Curse Zant for overlooking that entrance! It had caused them no amount of grief already, even without this news. Still… Smith was coming in personally… This would be the perfect opportunity to take that man down a peg or two…

"Should I tell the men on the ground floor to move up?" Grog asked, and Ganondorf shook his head.

"No. The opposite. Instruct the ground parties to set up positions surrounding the cafeteria and await them. Well catch them off-guard and end this attack before it begins."

"Yes sir."

As Grog backed out of the room, bowing slightly, Ganondorf felt a wicked smile cross his face. His plan would have to wait for a moment… He had some men to kill.

* * *

Bleck.

Ok, let me end this by saying... I'm not at all pleased with the way this chapter turned out. My brain's just been so foggy lately, and no matter how many times I read this over I couldn't create a way to make it flow better. Some of the dialogue makes me wince, Aryll/Ganon's scene could have gone better... and Zelda's premonitions... and Ganondorf's every moment... ugh. I just don't like this chapter. I'm sorry if anyone feels the same; I promise, once I feel better and finish this story up, I'ma go back and make some serious corrections.

On hopefully a more positive note, I took a critical look at my outline for the next three chapters and came to a conclusion: If I don't want to screw up the pacing horribly, I need to add at least one more chapter. So the total number of chapters is moving up to 16 for the sake of quality, and I ask you to please bare with me- I will get this done. Just 4 more chapters.

One last comment: 20 points to anyone who can tell me what game Aveil is from. Here's a hint- It's my favorite Zelda game of all time, and I have two one-shots in the works that revolve around events from that game.

Alright, that's it. I hope you guys liked it, but I won't blame you if you didn't. I'm certainly not on my game right now. I'm sorry.

Stay Zesty, and don't get sick... And don't crack your head on cement because you're an idiot and have to get hospitalized and sentenced to stay at home for 6 months until your body recovers.

Just lookin out for my readers, haha.

ZC


	13. To Make Amends

Wow, guys. There I go again, taking two weeks to upload a chapter that should have only taken me one. The only excuses I have prepared for you today are 1) That I'm sick again (Strep Throat, huzzah!), and 2) That this chapter was the devil to write. Literally. I'm pretty sure it grew horns and everything.

But that's beside the point. Here we are, Chapter 13. Only a few more to go! So enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 13**

**To Make Amends  
**

Moving to round the nearest corner, Midna found herself emitting an embarrassingly loud squeak as Sheik, his hand still clenched tightly around her own, jerked her roughly backwards. Scowling almost as darkly as she was blushing, she gave her arm a fitful tug in a vain attempt to reclaim her captive appendage, but to no avail.

"What're you-"

"Shh!" Sheik hissed sharply, cutting her off mid-sentence. Pressing his body flush against the brick wall, he slowly inched his way towards the corner to peer cautiously into the adjoining hallway, dragging a reluctant Midna along with him.

She sighed, frustrated, but let him do his thing. It had been slow going ever since leaving the gym. Sheik had insisted on making sure the coast was clear before they braved any stairwell or hallway, but thus far they hadn't seen a soul. Now that they were on the second floor, however, they were bound to run into at least a few people… but still, she couldn't see what the problem was. As far as the bad guys were concerned, Sheik was still on their side, so him wandering about shouldn't be an issue… right?

She opened her mouth to ask Sheik, but he interrupted her once again with an irritated grumble.

"They're blocking this hallway… We'll have to go around." And just like that, he turned on the spot and began pulling her back the way they came.

"Wait!" She exclaimed, planting her feet firmly on the tiled floor. It was useless, however; he continued to tow her down the hall as though she were on water skis. Really, Linebeck needed to do a better job cleaning these floors. "Wait, Sheik- ugh! Stop moving for a second, will you?"

"What?" he panted softly, halting so suddenly that she ran right into him.

She shot him an aggravated glare before giving her arm a sharp twist, violently breaking free of his grip and ending their physical connection.

"Look, I don't understand. Why are we sneaking around?" She asked, massaging her sore wrist. "You said you were sent to 'reclaim me' or whatever, so if we see anybody, they're just gonna think you're taking me in, right? I mean, they should still think you're one of them, so…"

There it was again, that brief glimpse of guilt and pain that flashed through his eyes whenever someone mentioned he had been one of _them_. She'd seen the same look on his face when Coach Nabooru had asked for a way out, trusting him to know of the enemy's weaknesses. Despite the fact that his knowledge of Ganondorf's movements had managed to save everyone in the gym, he still wouldn't forgive himself for his involvement in today's attack, and she was beginning to doubt he ever would.

Sheik looked troubled as he mulled her words over, shaking his head slowly. "I know, but… I just don't want to risk it. Something doesn't feel right, and I don't just mean all the psychos running around with guns. When Ganondorf told me to come get you, he looked… amused. I just feel like he's planning something. We should probably avoid others for the time being."

There was a silent, intense moment as the two teens stood still, staring mutely into each others eyes, trying to convey thoughts and emotions that they couldn't bring themselves to voice aloud.

Finally, Midna found her resolve crumbling and she let out a shaky sigh, hanging her head in defeat. "Ok, I just… Ok. I trust you. If you think this is the best way, then I'll do what you say. It's just…"

"What?" he asked softly, and she felt her breath catch as he reached his hand up to cup her cheek, his fingers tangling in her hair.

She closed her eyes, leaning into his touch, reveling at this small comfort as she struggled to put her thoughts in order. "I'm worried, Sheik. All this sneaking around… I know you think it's for the best, but if we're caught you might lose the only advantage you have; they'll know you've turned against them. I… I don't want anything to happen to you, and I just don't understand…"

Oh Goddesses, her voice was cracking. No! Come on Midna, stay strong! Tough it out! Don't let on how weak and helpless you feel right now, how you've felt all day… Try as she might, she couldn't stop the slight sniffle that escaped her.

Sheik didn't say anything. Instead, he wrapped his free arm around her waist and pulled her into a crushing embrace, burying his nose in her tousled orange hair.

She was stunned. For a moment, she heard nothing but the feverish pounding of her heart that thundered in her ears. Vaguely, she wondered how smart it was to have their little tender moment in the middle of the hallway where at any second a homicidal gun-toting maniac could walk over and blow them both away… but then she decided she didn't care.

After a slight hesitation, she hugged him back just as fiercely, placing her arms around his torso and hiding her face into his shoulder, trying to quell her trembling body.

"I really hope that whatever you came back for is worth risking your life over…" She muttered thickly.

Sheik gave a heavy sigh, the sound abnormally loud to Midna's ears due to her close proximity to Sheik's chest and stirring through her hair wildly with reckless abandon.

"Don't worry. They are."

Midna blinked, pulling back slightly to look at him directly in the face. "They? You mean you came back for people?"

Sheik moved as though to answer… then froze, his jaw falling open and his eyes widening in shock.

"…Sheik?" She asked, pulling free from his embrace rather reluctantly; she immediately missed his warmth and comforting presence.

"Sheik, what-?" With a start, she realized his gaze was fixated somewhere over her shoulder.

Sudden terror gripping her, she whirled around, expecting to see a whole concourse of psychos ready to kill them, or even Ganondorf himself striding down the hallway with murder shining in his eyes. Instead, she was met with the surprised faces of the two last people she expected to see.

"A-Aryll?" She spluttered in shock, staring wide-eyed at the frightened little girl who had just rounded the corner, her gaze set vacantly on the floor. Her boyfriend was clutching her hand, looking positively terrified as he froze, staring open mouthed back at them. "C-Collin? What…? How are…?"

At the sound of Midna's voice, Aryll's head jerked up. She could see tear tracks marring her lightly tanned cheeks, her eyes were all red and blotchy from crying, and her usually prim golden pigtails were in complete disarray. Still, for the most part, Aryll looked fine. Her light cerulean irises, the exact same shade as her grandmothers, suddenly lit up as they fell upon Midna and Sheik, and with a frantic gasp she tore away from her boyfriend and all but leapt into Midna's dumbfounded arms.

"Oh Goddesses!" She breathed, relief evident in her tone, "Midna, you're ok! I've been so worried, I-I didn't know where anyone was or what was going on, and…"

Still reeling from Aryll's sudden appearance, Midna found she could do little more than pat the excitable girl gently on the back.

"And Sheik!" The little blonde girl suddenly exclaimed, jumping out of Midna's arms so she could latch onto the older boy. "You're still here! After what Link said about your guys' plan failing, I thought that-"

"Wait, what?" Midna cut in, silencing Aryll's emotional tirade. "What do you mean, 'your guys' plan'? Sheik, what's she talking about? You and Link had…"

Something had been nagging at the back of her head ever since her eyes had landed on Aryll Hero, and suddenly it hit her with all the force of a brick to the stomach.

"Oh, Farore… Link! I completely forgot about him!" As the inevitable feelings of guilt and terror washed over her as she remembered that her other best friend was trapped in this indomitable house of horrors, she couldn't help but notice Aryll's surprised and disapproving glare and Sheik's oddly blank expression. That was weird… Sheik hadn't said a word since Collin and Aryll had mysteriously appeared. Why was he being so quiet?

"Do we know where he is?" Midna asked frantically, "Is he ok? Did something happen to him?"

"Ganondorf has him." Aryll said flatly, relinquishing her grip on Sheik so she could step back to face Midna fully, crossing her arms stiffly in front of her chest, scowling. She looked visibly displeased that Midna had forgotten her older brother was in danger. "I only saw him for a couple minutes, but he said he got captured because he and Sheik were trying to save me."

"I'm so confused…" Midna said, massaging her temples in frustration. "You… _saw_ him? Does that mean Ganondorf had you too? How on earth did you get out? And Sheik, when were you with Link?"

There was a slight pause as Aryll hesitantly watched Sheik, looking for any signs that he was going to speak first. Sheik, however, continued his strangely silent reverie, largely ignoring Midna and Aryll as he stared sternly at Collin for some odd reason. With a tremulous sigh, Aryll turned to face Midna, her face suddenly downcast.

"I… I g-got out b-because…" The smaller girl's voice suddenly broke, her eyes flooding with tears.

Midna was baffled.

"…Aryll?" She asked, worry lacing her words, but the smaller girl merely shook her head, hiding her eyes behind her hand as she turned to face the wall, body trembling.

"I got her out." said a soft voice from behind her.

Midna spun around, nearly giving herself whiplash. Collin had finally joined them, and now that she could see him clearly, she could tell he looked a little worse for the wear. His face was pale, sweaty, and heavily lined with massive bags beneath his eyes. He looked absolutely exhausted. His hair was disheveled; a trait that everyone seemed to share today. Most daunting of all, however, were his eyes; gaunt and haggard, they were like swirling grey eddies of bottomless despair.

"Collin? But… how did you…?" She trailed off, feeling uneasy. How in Din's name had Collin managed to pull off a daring rescue right under Ganondorf's nose, succeeding where Sheik and Link had failed? And even if he had managed it alone, why had he left Link behind?

There was a pregnant pause in which Midna silently regarded the three teens situated in front of her; Sheik all but glaring at Collin for some unknown but seemingly justified reason, Collin gazing forlornly at Aryll, and Aryll ignored them all, keeping her back to them all as her shoulders silently quaked.

"How did you save her, Collin?" Midna asked again, this time a bit more forcefully, and he sighed, closing his eyes in resignation. He seemed to mull his answer over for a moment before complying.

"I… struck a deal… with Ganondorf."

Midna felt her blood run cold. A deal… with Ganondorf? She glanced at Sheik out of the corner of her eye, and saw that his previously stony expression had darkened, resembling steel more than rock. She could tell, even without asking, that Sheik had made the connection. Likely, he'd known all along. Sheik had also struck a deal with Ganondorf, one for Midna's safety. If Collin had made one too, then that could only mean one thing…

"You're working for Ganondorf." It wasn't a question. Collin flinched as if struck by a physical blow, but he nodded at Midna's words.

She felt something sickly coiling within her. Grimacing, she took a step away from the quiet boy, heading instead to stand between Sheik and Aryll.

A look of hurt and desperation flashed across Collin's face. "No, wait, you don't understand! He was going to kill me-"

"So you decided to become his flunky?" Midna spat, disgust dripping from her words as she placed her hands on her hips and glared for all she was worth. Sheik was still being quiet, his arms crossed stoically across his chest. Aryll's shoulders had grown tense, and she could tell out of the corner of her eyes that she was crying.

"No!" Collin cried, his voice cracking slightly as Midna quickly walked over to Aryll and enveloped the girl in a tight embrace. She resisted slightly at first, but quickly gave in, clinging to Midna's neck as she sobbed quietly into her shoulder.

"Guys, please, you have to believe me…" Collin's voice had taken on a definite pleading note. Midna twisted her lips derisively as she gently stroked Aryll's hair in an attempt to calm her.

"What did you agree to do for Ganon in exchange for your safety?" She snapped, not able or willing to keep the contempt from her voice.

Collin recoiled as if stung, then shook his head slowly, muttering something under his breath.

"What was that?" she said, making her tone sickly sweet.

Collin scowled, then said, "It wasn't for me… Not that it really makes a difference. He could have killed me then and there, and it wouldn't have changed anything that happened today. I did what I did for Aryll…"

Midna opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off abruptly as the blonde girl in her arms suddenly whirled around to face her boyfriend.

"Stop it!" She wailed, sounding lost and broken. "Just stop it! You can't justify what you did, Collin! It doesn't matter if it was for you or me or anybody! You… You _betrayed _me! My brother, the only family I have left in the world, is going to _die_! And it's your fault! _Yours_, Collin!"

To say Aryll's little outburst took Midna by surprise would be like saying Ganondorf was a little grumpy. She had little time to wonder over her smaller girl's emotional instability, however, as the meaning of her words washed over her. Link was going to die? And it was Collin's fault?

"What do you mean? Is Link in trouble?"

Sheik's panicky voice startled Midna. He looked pained, and his face had paled a bit with what she could only assume was fear for Link's wellbeing. Collin turned his head to face Sheik, but he kept his desolate gaze locked on Aryll. Likewise, Aryll remained still, tears silently pouring from her eyes, her bottom lip quivering with emotion.

"We're all in trouble..." He muttered dully, though something in his tone suggested he was trying to dodge the question.

"He means more so than the rest of us." Midna snapped, starting to lose her patience.

Collin swallowed heavily, but said nothing. Sheik suddenly lost it. Striding forward, he seized the boy by the front of his shirt, jerking him viciously to the side and slamming him against the lockers.

"What did you do?" He roared, slamming the younger boy against the lockers again for good measure. Aryll squeaked in surprise, looking conflicted about her boyfriend being man-handled, but Midna had lost all sympathy for him. He was one of Ganondorf's cronies now. Technically, he was the enemy, and Link's life might be on the line.

"What did you do?" Sheik repeated, and this time Midna winced at the volume of his voice. Remembering the sentries he'd spotted only moments earlier, she felt a twinge of fear spark in her heart.

"Sheik, hold on!" She said quickly, cutting him off.

"What?" He snarled at Midna over his shoulder.

"You're need to chill out, you're being too loud! You're going to attract a lot of unwanted attention very soon." She said, jerking her head to the corner in a meaningful way.

Sheik cast her an unreadable look before taking hold of Collin's shirt once more and dragging him across the hall to the nearest classroom. Flinging the door open, he gave the room a quick once-over before nodding to Midna and Aryll and throwing Collin in unceremoniously.

Midna groaned before darting in after him; Sheik became completely unreasonable when he lost his temper. At least he'd decided to move his questionnaire to somewhere a bit more private. Pausing momentarily to make sure Aryll made it inside, she shut the door with a brief snap and turned to survey the room.

She recognized it immediately as Professor Elzo's room. It was strange to think that less than 24 hours ago, she had been sitting in here with Link, wondering where Sheik was and listening to a boring lecture on the Book of Mudora. The classroom itself was barren and looked virtually unchanged other than a couple of desks that were a tad bit askew.

Aryll quickly strode to the farthest desk from the door and sat on it, looking troubled. Sheik had dragged Collin to the back wall where he had him pressed up against the wall again just as he had with the lockers moments earlier in the hall. Twisting her lips wryly, she paused to make sure the little posters on the door completely covered the small rectangular window on the door before hastening past the multitude of empty desks to Sheik's side.

"Answer my question!" Sheik snarled, not even missing a beat after their change of venue, slamming the boy against the brick wall with a bit more force than was strictly necessary, making his head bounce. "What did Ganondorf have you do? What's going to happen to Link? Talk!"

"I-I…" Collin stammered, his eyes wide in fear and panic. He cut off to cough gruffly before continuing, wincing. "Ganondorf, he… He asked me to… t-to find certain people and report where they were so that he didn't have to waste too much time looking for them…"

"You're not telling me everything, Collin." Sheik snarled. "He could have had anybody do that. What else did he have you do?"

Collin shook his head, his lips trembling, and to Midna's shock she saw tears welling up in his eyes. Though they might have just been from the headache he was sure to have.

"Y-You need to understand, even if he'd killed me, his plans would have gone through anyway-"

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" Sheik roared.

"I-I-I gave him the frequency that the police use to communicate! My dad's the Sheriff, remember? That's how I know them. H-He's been using it to prevent the police from coming in and stopping his plan…"

Midna felt revulsion wash over her. He'd given up the only hope that countless trapped students and teachers had for survival… all to protect one girl. Aryll was hugging her arms and sobbing, muttering softly to herself "I wasn't worth it… I wasn't worth it… Oh, Goddesses, why…?"

Sheik's breathing was rough and unsteady, his face inches away from Collin's. Midna could tell from his expression that his mind was whirling. If Ganondorf had had access to any and all messages that the Police were using to communicate, then it certainly made sense why there hadn't been an attempt at a rescue; Ganondorf had known about them all before hand and had been able to thwart them.

But something in his words was nagging at her… Sure, getting access to the police scanners made sense, but why had Ganondorf asked Collin to go look for people? Like Sheik said, he could have asked anybody to do that, so why Collin? Why not just kill him and be done with it? And what 'plan'? Wasn't Ganondorf's goal today just to kill everyone and everything?

Collin had tears streaking down his cheeks now, and he was struggling to regain control of his emotions. Suddenly, the reasoning behind why he looked so distraught was clear. He understood full well what he had done; but in his mind, people were going to die today anyway, and if there was some way he could save the girl he most cared about… Different than Sheik, then. Collin had made a stupid sacrifice; offering countless lives that could have been spared had the police managed to break through Ganondorf's defenses in order to assure Aryll's safety.

"Who…" Sheik began, then paused, licking his lips as he considered his word choice carefully. "What… What is Ganondorf's plan, Collin?"

"You… You mean you don't know?"

There was no malice in his words, but Sheik cringed as though he'd lemon juice in an open wound. He knew Sheik was, or had been, one of them…

"Ganondorf is… was… secretive. He didn't trust me, or anybody, with the full extent of his plans. But if you know something…" There was a definite threat in his tone, as if saying that if Collin knew something and held it back, the repercussions would be severe.

"I don't know anything…" he grunted, sounding a little strained, which made sense since he was still pinned against a brick wall. "All I know is he wanted those people found."

"Right, the ones he had you look for. Who were they, Collin? Tell us, it could be important!"

Collin blinked, glancing around between them hesitantly. "Um… Well, it's just…"

"Collin!" Sheik barked, slamming him against the wall once more for emphasis.

"Fine!" He said hastily, trying in vain to wave his arms out in front of him despite Sheik's vice grip on his shoulders. "Fine, I'll tell you! But… you're not going to like it…"

Sheik fixed him with his most penetrating glare.

Collin sighed, hanging his head in resignation. "Just… Just a few people…"

"And they are…?" Midna asked, walking closer to the two boys so she could hear better.

"…You." He said simply, looking straight at Midna.

Midna blinked in surprise. "M-Me? Why did Ganondorf want me found?"

"It was probably for me." Sheik said slowly, his brows furrowed. "So I could find you and keep you safe."

Collin nodded, though he was studiously avoiding eye contact. For some reason, Midna didn't feel any better.

"Who else?"

"Aryll." Collin muttered. At the sound of her name, Aryll twitched, but didn't move any closer, keeping her eyes pinned to the floor.

"Ok. And?" She could tell Sheik was getting impatient. Any minute now, somebody could come walking by and hear them, or come walking in; she was surprised nobody had yet, seeing how loud Sheik had been what with him yelling and slamming people into lockers and walls.

Collin was silent for a moment, then shook his head and said, "He… He wanted Link, ok?"

"Link." Sheik repeated, his tone flat.

"Yes…"

"Link Hero."

"Yes! How many times do I have to say it? I had to find Link Hero, Midna Twili, and Aryll Hero. Those are the only people I knew of-"

"Wait, that you knew? There were others?" Midna cut in frantically, getting on her tiptoes so she could see Collin better over Sheik's arm.

"Er… Well, not exactly…" he said slowly. Sheik and Midna wore identical scowls.

"Explain, Collin." Sheik growled, letting his grip on the smaller boy tighten, his fingers digging into his shoulders painfully.

"I-ah! Ow! Stop, I'm telling you! He- He asked me who Link's closest friends are, and told me to find them. Ah! Cut it out!"

"Why didn't you tell us this before?" Sheik snarled viciously, and Collin's face paled even further, something Midna didn't think was possible.

"B-Because! I only had to find you three! Ganondorf _asked_ me, but I don't know any of Link's friends besides you two! I mean, I know he's my girlfriends older brother, and he's a nice guy and everything so I'm sure he's got lots of friends, but I don't really know him all that well so…"

"So?"

"S-So I told him Link's only friends were you two! And his little sister, who I told him he couldn't hurt if he wanted my h-help! That's it! He told me not to worry about finding you, since you were with him, but that I needed to find Midna and Aryll so they could be put somewhere safe and then find Link for him! That's it, I swear!"

Sheik and Midna exchanged troubled looks. Sure, Link had other friends… but they were more like super-congenial acquaintances than actual friends, so they didn't really count. He didn't hang out with anyone outside of school other than them, and occasionally their group would go to the movies with Aryll and her friends when they were bored. But other than that…

"Does Link even have any other friends?" Midna asked, scratching her head absently as she wracked her brain for anyone else who Ganondorf could be targeting.

Sheik shrugged. "Well… I mean, he gets along well with Kafei Dotour, and I know they work together on projects and stuff when they have the same classes, but they've never really hung out… and he used to be good friends with that red headed Ralph kid, until Link beat him out in the spelling bee in 6th grade… Other than when he was dating Ilia forever ago, I don't think he's really spent much time with anyone but us."

"That's kinda pathetic." Midna said flatly, and Sheik nodded. They both exchanged identical grins before remembering that the friend they were picking on was currently in a life-or-death situation and this really wasn't the time for jokes.

"So…" Midna said, realizing that she really didn't know where to go from here.

"That's all I know," Collin said softly, "I swear."

The hallway was quiet for a moment as Collin and Sheik regarded each other silently; Collin looking both weary and fearful, Sheik looking tense and angry. Finally, after a long moment, he let out a sigh and said, "Alright. I believe you."

"So." Midna said again, this time more brisk as Sheik let go of Collin's shoulders, causing the younger boy to slump to the side before regaining his balance. "Now what?"

"Well, if that's all there is to find out-" Sheik began, then cut off as Aryll suddenly hopped off her desk and strode forward. She was still trembling, but her expression was determined. Carefully not looking at Collin, she stared Sheik directly in the eye and said, "Something isn't right."

"What do you mean?" He asked, perplexed, raising a hand to tousle his hair absently.

"When C-Collin came to get me," She said, stumbling over the boys name, making him cringe, "Ganondorf told me the people he had… _him_… find were a part of his plan. He said he was going to kill them to prove his power or something. Link was the first person on his 'Hit List'."

Sheik and Midna exchanged slow looks. 'Hit List'? Ganondorf had a hit list? From the expression on Sheik's face, this was the first he was hearing about it.

"What else did he tell you? Tell me everything he told you, Aryll. Anything at all about this 'Hit List'." Sheik said sternly, wheeling himself around to face her.

Aryll grimaced. "He didn't say much… Just that the people he had Co-…he had _him_ find were part of it, and he was going to kill them to prove his power… Oh, and that they were 'closest to the one he despises', or something."

Midna bit her lip, hard. He was going to sacrifice Link and some other people just to show how tough he was? What kind of sick, twisted, deranged maniac does that?

"But… But I didn't find anyone else!" Collin said, sounding frustrated. "I told you! He told me I only needed to find Aryll, Midna, and Link. That's it."

Midna sent Aryll and Collin perplexed looks. Aryll looked resolute, though her eyes were still red and splotchy, and she was adamantly pretending that Collin wasn't there. Collin was clearly an emotional wreck; now that Aryll was ignoring him, he looked like he didn't know what to do with himself. Not that Midna had any pity for him; as far as she was concerned, Collin was with the enemy now. He and Sheik were entirely different situations, Sheik showing remorse for his actions, and Collin showing remorse that Aryll was mad at him. He didn't deserve her forgiveness, and she wasn't about to offer it. Especially not if they didn't get to Link in time.

Sheik looked troubled. Digging the heels of his palms into his eyes, he let out an aggravated groan as he walked to the opposite wall and slumped against it, slowly sliding down until he was seated on the floor.

"We're missing something. It's right in front of my face, but I can't see it…" He muttered wearily, letting his head thunk back against the aged brick.

"What?" Midna asked softly, following him over and crouching down beside him.

"I don't know, obviously, else I'd tell you." He grumped. Midna scowled and flicked him on the forehead.

"Hey. Don't be taking your frustrations out on me. I'm on your side, remember?"

"I know, I know…" he muttered, letting his arms fall to his sides despondently.

"What's wrong?" She asked softly, sinking down so she was sitting sideways on her knees and leaning up against him. She felt him adjust himself so that they fit more comfortably together; it was weird how comfortable they were together, even during a high pressure situation like this. Sure, she was crazy about him, and he'd all but proven that he loved her back what with him saving her life and all, but they technically weren't together or anything. She hadn't even told him how she felt, but she could tell that he knew, and that was enough for her. For now, at least.

Sheik drew his knee up to his chest and draped his free arm over it, looking troubled.

"And before you give me some sarcastic answer about being trapped in a school full of psychos, that's not what I meant." She added as an afterthought, and was relieved to see a small smile creep on his face.

"No, it isn't… It's not that. I guess I'm just…"

"Worried about Link?" she supplied softly, remembering the way he'd exploded at Collin earlier. Sheik gave a small sigh, nodding curtly.

"I'm worried about him too, Sheik. But… You need to take a step back and clear your mind. You'll need a level head if we're gonna come up with a plan to save Link. You almost tore Collin's head off back there..."

He muttered something darkly under his breath that sounded suspiciously like 'he would have deserved it', but she ignored him and pressed on.

"Yes, Link is in danger. But you can't save him on your own. I'm here, and I'm going to help you. Both of you. You two are my best friends, and two of the most important people in my life, and I'm not about to lose either of you without a fight."

Midna didn't exactly know what she expected after that admittedly sappy little speech she just gave, but it certainly wasn't what she got.

"No."

Midna blinked. "Er… what?"

"No." Sheik replied, this time a little more forceful. "You're not coming with me. You're taking Aryll, and you're getting out of here. This is something I need to do on my own."

"What?" She exclaimed, incredulous, pulling away from him. "Are you out of your mind? You can't go by yourself, Ganondorf-"

"Yes, Ganondorf will probably kill me." Sheik replied, cutting her off forcefully and climbing to his feet. His eyes were blazing, but for the first time she noticed there was something vast and empty hiding behind his anger; despair. Harrowing, torturous, heart-wrenching despair.

Midna gaped and spluttered wordlessly for a moment before following his example and standing, barely managing to say, incredulously, "And you're ok with that?"

"Look, I know it sounds crazy, but it's just something that I have to do. It's my fault Link is up there in the first place, it's my fault that so many people have died today, and as such it's my responsibility to fix this!"

"Stop being stupid!" Midna snapped, smacking his arm for emphasis. "How could you have known Ganondorf wanted Link for some stupid revenge conquest or whatever it is he's doing? And whether you were part of Ganondorf's plan or not doesn't matter, because you not being here wouldn't have prevented today's events from happening-"

"I left Link there!" Sheik cried out, cutting her off, and finally the desperation and pain that she could see in his eyes was reflected in his voice. "I left him there to save you! That's why I had to turn back rather than leave with Nabooru and the janitor. I couldn't just abandon him to his death! Now do you understand? I left him behind to die!"

Midna's chest was heaving with emotion, but she didn't know what to say. She could understand why he felt responsible for Link's safety, but really, he hadn't had much choice. He knew he would be able to save her, whereas saving Link seemed like an increasingly impossible act. He'd made the logical decision, and she knew that Link would see it that same way. No one was blaming him for Link's situation; at least, no one but himself.

"Sheik…" She began, anguished, but he rode her over.

"And the shooting? It doesn't matter if it would have gone on without me here! I was complicit, Midna! The death of everyone who was killed today is partly on my hands! Byrne and Sahasrala and Viscen and the boy with the flute and-"

"Stop it!" Midna cried out, surprised to feel tears on her cheeks but pressing on anyway. "Just stop it! The only people responsible for their deaths are Ganondorf and whoever it was who killed them! Byrne didn't blame you, Sheik, he looked up to you! He trusted you! You were his friend! Nobody's death is on your hands, because you didn't kill anyone!"

"I KILLED ZANT!" He bellowed, and suddenly the flood gate opened. Sheik sunk to his knees and hid his face in his hands, weeping bitterly in front of her like a lost child. "_I_ killed him! Me! Not Ganondorf… Not anyone else… Just me. His death is on my hands, Midna! Mine! I _killed_ him…"

"Zant was a monster." She said stiffly, sniffling slightly as she hesitantly approached him. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Aryll looking distraught, standing out of the way against a desk in the corner of the room. Collin was looking away, desperately trying to block out Sheik's emotionally charged words..

"It doesn't matter." Sheik mumbled, wiping at his eyes with his sleeves.

"Yes it does!" Midna cried, seizing fistfuls of his hair in either hand and forcing him to look at her. "You didn't kill him out of spite, or anger, or vengeance, or cruelty! You killed him to save me, to save Mido and Linebeck and everyone in that gym! It was in defense of the people you cared about, and that's what makes you different than the others, Sheik! You realized what you were doing was wrong and you came back! You're a hero!"

At her last word, his face contorted in anguish and he yelled, "No!"

Tearing away from her violently, he stumbled to his feet and hurriedly wadded away from her through the sea of desks. "You don't understand! For what I've done today… There is no forgiveness. Not from me, not from anyone. Not unless I can stop this. I have to do this, Midna. I have to right the wrongs I helped to make if I'm ever going to forgive myself… and if I happen to die in the process, then so be it."

As Midna stood there and watched the boy she'd loved for so long running from her, something inside of her finally broke. It was as if the emptiness she'd seen in Sheik's eyes had migrated into her chest and had taken the place where her heart used to be, bringing with it a torrent of anguish and despair that threatened to overwhelm her.

With a fresh wave of tears stinging at her eyes, and with her throat hoarse from yelling and emotion, she felt the word escape her lips as though whispered of it's own volition.

"Coward."

Against all probability, Sheik heard her, and he froze in place, his hand wavering centimeters away from the doorknob.

"What?" He asked, not turning to face her.

"You're a coward." She replied softly. Even as she said it, she felt an inexplicable chill come over the room and she hugged her arms to her chest. "You're taking the easy way out because you're afraid."

"Afraid of what?" He snapped, turning back to glare at her. He looked positively livid, his eyes blazing with rage as he breathed heavily through his nostrils.

"Afraid of owning up to what you've done." She replied, and Sheik scoffed, throwing his hands up in frustration.

"That's what I'm trying to do!" He exclaimed, but Midna shook her head slowly.

"No. You're running away again, just like you did when your mother died. You don't realize that you can't escape the pain you feel inside, Sheik. You have to confront it head on."

"What do you want from me?" He cried out angrily, kicking the filing cabinet, the crash reverberating around the room. "That's why I'm going to Ganondorf, to confront what I've done!"

"Not it's not!" She said in frustration. "You don't understand!"

"Understand what, Midna? What do I not understand?"

"That dying isn't going to redeem you!" She shot back angrily, advancing forward a step. "You think that going off and getting yourself killed is going to somehow absolve you of the guilt you feel, but it's not! Think about Byrne, Sheik!"

"Byrne is dead!" He hissed vehemently, placing his hands on a desk and scowling at Midna through his bangs. "He died to do what's right, and in the end he was a hero! He was forgiven! Once this day ends, he going to be mourned along with all the other innocent victims because he managed to redeem himself! Why won't you give me that chance?"

"Because death isn't what redeemed Byrne!" Midna cried, desperation lacing through her words. "You…! Ugh! Is that all you can think about? Dying? Why don't you understand? Byrne redeemed himself the second he decided to forsake Ganondorf and Zant and chose to make the right decision-!"

"By giving his life!" Sheik cut in angrily.

"No! By choosing to save Mido! Don't you get it? It wasn't his death that made us all forgive him, it was saving Mido! It was the choice! The second he decided to do the right thing, he was forgiven! He made the difficult decision, he used himself as a shield to protect a helpless boy, and that is what made him a hero! Not death! Not dying!"

"How would you know?" Sheik snarled, rapidly changing the topic. "You don't understand what I'm going through at all! You think you know me so well, but you have no idea! I don't deserve to live anymore, not after what I've done today. Do you honestly think life can ever go back to normal for me? I'm a monster, just like Ganon, or Vaati, or Sakon, or Zant. My life is over after today; whether I'm killed or locked up for life, I don't have a future. The only chance I have to do anything right to balance out all the evil I've done is if I stop Ganondorf! There's nothing left for me to live for!"

"So what, you're just going to abandon all the people who love you? What about your friends, your family?"

"My mother is dead!" He roared, slamming his fist on the desk. "I don't have anyone else!"

"You have me!" She said, desperation coating her words, and for the first time she noticed she was sobbing. "_I _love you, Sheik. I _need _you. And if you're not here, I…"

There was a sudden hush as Midna's words seemed to reverberate around the classroom profoundly, during which Sheik stared at Midna in astonishment and Midna tried to quietly mop up the tears on her face with her sleeves. There wasn't a sound other than Midna's sniffling and Sheik's heavy breathing.

Finally, after an eternity of pregnant silence, Sheik managed to stammer out an awkward, "Y-you… W-what…?"

"I love you." She said simply, painfully aware that her mascara had probably smeared all over her cheeks. "I really do. Please… Please, don't do this. Don't throw your life away. Don't make me go through the pain of losing you. I… I need you…"

She wiped at her cheeks again, knowing full well that she was fighting a losing battle. She couldn't bring her self to stop crying. She also couldn't bring herself to look at Sheik, afraid that she'd been wrong, that he hadn't felt the same. Or worse, that he'd ignore her words and leave, heading off on his stupid quest to die in the name of honor or nobility like some stupid hero from a story. Really, who does that anyway? It's like he lives in the middle ages or-

The only warning she had was the sound of rapid footsteps before she found herself suddenly engulfed in crushing warmth. It took her a second to realize that he was hugging her, tightly.

"I'm sorry…" He whispered softly into her ear. "I'm so sorry…"

"You should be…" She mumbled thickly, slightly shocked, before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer, burying her face in his chest. They stood like that for a moment, taking comfort in each other's presence until Midna's tears subsided and her trembling stopped.

"Are you still going to run off like an idiot to kill yourself?" Midna asked softly, and Sheik sighed heavily.

"No… I've caused you enough pain as it is. Although I'm still going to try and save Link."

"Good. And I'm coming with you."

She felt Sheik stiffen underneath her, but she didn't give him the opportunity to argue. "Listen. Link is my friend too, and I'm not about to abandon him to Ganon's sick, twisted clutches. I'm coming with you whether you like it or not so I can keep an eye on you, so you might as well get used to it. I'm not letting you leave my sight again."

Sheik chuckled lightly. "And what if I have to use the bathroom?"

"Tough."

"You realize that you can't be with me every moment for the rest of my life, right? Eventually, assuming we both survive today, they're going to arrest me."

Midna scowled, but kept her face hidden in his chest. "Says who?"

"Says… common sense? Like it or not, I did at least help plan today's events, and though the only person I killed was in the defense of others, I'm still guilty of numerous other crimes. I won't be getting out of this scot-free." There was a forced casualness about his tone, but Midna decided to let it slide for the time being. It was probably going to take some time for him to forgive himself for killing Zant, and for everything else, but she was willing to be there for him every step of the way.

"Well… We'll just have to make sure and get you a good lawyer, and even if you do go to jail, it probably won't be for long since you changed sides and saved so many people."

"Yeah, maybe…" He murmured softly, and Midna glanced up at him concernedly.

"What's wrong?"

He sighed. "It's just… They're still going to make me go to a foster home or something. I mean, Hylian law states that though I can be tried as an adult for the crimes I've committed, I'm still technically a minor until I'm 18, which isn't for another 6 months. I guess it's just weird to realize that I don't have a home."

"Yes you do." Midna said firmly, and he gave her a confused look, prompting her to clarify. "You can live with me."

"Hmm… I don't think your dad would like that too much, having a convicted felon living in the house."

"Then we'll just have to hide you in the basement."

"Your basement is creepy. And it smells."

"You'll get over it."

"Your confidence is touching." he chuckled, and she smiled at him warmly.

They stood like that for a moment, smiling softly at each other until Sheik raised his hand to cup her cheek, slowly tracing her jaw line with his finger tips, making her pulse spike. Then, slowly, he tilted her chin up and leaned forward. She quickly stretched up on her tip-toes to meet him, her eyes sliding closed.

His lips were rough and chapped but she didn't care; in fact, she doubted she had ever felt so warm or light in her life. Tangling one of her hands in his hair, she pressed herself closer against him, trusting him to support her weight as she lost herself in the moment.

After an indefinable amount of time, they finally broke apart, Midna resting her head on his chest again, grinning like an idiot.

"For what it's worth," He whispered softly, "I love you too."

"Yeah, I figured." she said simply, and he snorted.

It wasn't until Aryll gave a polite cough that she remembered they weren't alone in the classroom. Springing apart awkwardly, the two teens sent Aryll embarrassed grins. She responded with a rueful shake of the head and a satisfied smirk.

"Well, THAT was certainly interesting."

"Er… Sorry…" Sheik muttered, rubbing the back of his head. Midna sent the blonde girl a cheeky wink, eliciting a scandalized giggle.

"Well!" Midna said bracingly, looping her arm through Sheiks, "I think it's about time we set off, don't you?"

"Right." He said, suddenly all business. "Link still needs our help. Let's go."

They turned as one, heading toward the door of the classroom.

"Wait!" Aryll cried, darting toward them.

"What?" Midna asked curiously, tilting her head to the side.

"Let me come with you." She asked quickly. "Please. He's stuck up there because he was trying to help me. I can't just leave him…"

"Aryll…" Sheik said slowly, looking uneasy, but then another voice spoke up.

"No! You can't go with them! You have to get out!" Collin said desperately, stepping forward.

At the sound of his voice, Aryll suddenly grew tense, her fists clenching.

"Midna," Collin said, turning to her, pleadingly, "Sheik, please… Don't let her do this. She needs to get out. It's dangerous, and Ganondorf-"

"No!"

Aryll spun around, her shoulders set firmly, her face a mask of disgust. "Don't you _dare_, Collin. You don't have any right to worry about me. Not anymore. You've betrayed my brother, you've betrayed each and every person at this school, and you've betrayed _me_. We're through, Collin. Just… Go. Leave. Get as far away from me as you can, and stay there. I never want to see your face again…"

Aryll turned stiffly on the spot, taking a couple of steps toward Midna and Sheik. In desperation, Collin strode forward and caught her arm, murmuring "Aryll, _please_-"

Pivoting on the ball of her foot, Aryll brought her free hand around and delivered a solid punch directly into Collin's eye. He let out a startled yelp of pain as he let her go, tripping over his foot and falling to the floor.

Aryll seized the opportunity and ran for Midna and Sheik. Taking Midna's hand in her own, the muttered, "C'mon guys…"

Exchanging shocked glances with Sheik, he shrugged and started forward. Giving the blonde girl's hand a comforting squeeze, she turned and lead her out the door, following behind their red-eyed companion, pretending not to notice the tears in her cerulean eyes.

They didn't look back at Collin once.

* * *

Shad sighed heavily, and painfully, as he sat down on the snack counter, leaning his back against the wall and stretching his feet out in front of him. Try as he might, he couldn't stop the slight whistling sound coming from his windpipe, much to his chagrin.

"Hey." Ashei said softly from her position to his left. "You feeling ok?"

"I'm fine." He said replied, trying to sound light and nonchalant. She sent him a skeptical look, but didn't comment again as she closed her eyes and leaned back as well. Shad couldn't afford to have her worrying about his health when she was in such bad condition. She'd lost a lot of blood already, and if she didn't get medical attention soon…

Ashei was laid out flat on the same counter he was, though with some minor changes. He'd removed his jacket and given it to her to use as a pillow for her head, and he'd found some boxes of bottled water to prop her leg up on. It was a testament to how poorly she felt that she hadn't argued with him while he'd taken care of her. He'd also given her one of the bottles from the box, but she hadn't had more than a couple sips.

"You really need to drink that." He replied softly, adjusting his broken glasses for the umpteenth time that day. "You need to replenish the fluids you lost so your body can replace the blood."

"Yeah," She mumbled petulantly, "And _you_ need to drink something so _your_ throat doesn't dry out any more than it already has."

He grimaced. She was probably right… but swallowing anything right now was excruciatingly painful, and he wasn't really looking forward to drinking anything at the moment.

Letting the rare moment of silence pass over them, Shad turned his thoughts to the third companion of theirs who had just left. Zelda… she had seemed to nice, so normal… so why had she snapped like that? It had to be the stress. That was the only logical explanation for her erratic behavior. After all, he would startled if any student made it through today without a few emotional scars, and some students were simply more susceptible than others.

Still… She had somehow known about the trap in the kitchen… If they had just walked in, what would have happened to them? Would they be prisoners like everyone else in the school? Or… would something more sinister have happened?

Shad frowned at the opposite wall. It just didn't make any sense. How had she known? She can't have heard them; He and Ashei hadn't heard a thing, and they'd been right next to her. And what was all that about the police storming in and Ganondorf somehow knowing beforehand and staging a massacre? That was simply ridiculous. Ganondorf would have no way of knowing about any police attempt to storm the school until literally moments before it occurred, therefore eliminating any possibility of him laying any form of effective trap. It was nonsense, utter nonsense. But if it really was nonsense… why did he feel so uneasy?

"What's with the face?" Ashei asked, drawing Shad out of his muddled reverie.

"Zelda." he muttered, still looking pensive.

"Uh oh. Someone's got a crush." Ashei chuckled, smirking.

"Hardly." Shad replied, his tone flat. "I'm merely concerned for her wellbeing. She's clearly undergoing severe psychological implications from today's events, and now she's wandering the school alone and unaided. She could get herself seriously injured. I guess I'm just frustrated that she took off on her own, that's all."

"Well look at it this way," Ashei said, adjusting her position slightly so she could see him better. "Neither of us can continue to run around this school like we've been doing. I can barely move without passing out, and no matter how much you deny it, I know it's hard for you to breath. You can't run, let alone fight. And let's just face it, weren't much of a fighter to begin with."

Shad scowled at her words, but nodded just the same.

"I know it's not exactly the ideal situation, but what choice do we really have? We can't chase after her."

"I know, I know! It's just-"

Suddenly, Shad went very still, his eyes widening as his ears detected a sound from out in the hallway.

Ashei sent him a concerned look. "What? What is it?"

"Shh!" He said frantically, hopping off of the counter and darting to the door as quickly as he could move. His throat burned with the minor exertion and his chest was in agony, but he pressed his ear up to the crack anyway.

"What is it?" she asked again, this time in a whisper.

"Footsteps." He mouthed back, and she looked stricken.

There weren't near as many as there were before; maybe two or so people, possibly three. As they steadily drew nearer, he began to make out the words they were saying.

"…here, I guess. He wants us on both sides, so we can catch them in a vice grip and destroy them from both sides."

"What about the cafeteria?" Asked a second voice, and the first speaker snorted.

"He's gonna be up top on the balcony with a bunch of other guys, raining death on them from above. I gotta say, this plan is actually pretty good. Those officers don't stand a chance."

Shad felt his breathing stop, and not because of the gas he'd inhaled. Zelda was right… She was right! But how had she known?

"Wow. Ganondorf really is amazing! At first I thought he was just all talk, but now… Maybe we really will be able to change things… He's unstoppable!"

"Yeah, well… Let's just get into position. They should be here soon, and we need to be ready."

"Ok! Hey, what do you think will happen after…"

When they had walked off out of ear shot, Shad frantically leapt to his feet and hurried to Ashei.

"Holy Nayru! She was right! She was right!"

"Whoa, hold on there, ginger." Ashei said, looking both confused and worried. "Who was right? What are you talking about?"

"I just heard some of the attackers outside! Zelda was right! The police are going to come storming in to retake the school and Ganondorf's staging a trap to catch them off guard and kill them all! We've got to do something! We've got to-"

Before he could finish his sentence, he broke off in a frenetic series of hacking coughs and wheezing breaths. It was a full minute before he was able to stop, but his face was red and his head was spinning.

"We aren't going to do anything." Ashei grunted, weakly tugging at his sleep to pull him back to the counter.

"B-but-" he began, still gasping for breath.

"No buts, Shad." She said firmly. "I can't walk, and you can't breath. We wouldn't last two seconds out there. Plus, if they're laying a trap for them in the cafeteria, then us walking out of this room would just get us caught in it ourselves. All we can do is sit here and hope for the best."

"Are you mad?" Shad managed to choke out, staring at Midna incredulously.

"We don't have a choice. We'll just have to hope Zelda can save the day."

Biting back his angry retort, he hefted himself up onto the counter beside Ashei and scowled. Curse her cool use of logic… But she was right, unfortunately. There literally was nothing they could do. Their usefulness had come to an end.

_Come on, Zelda, _he thought urgently, staring up at the roof as though he could see her through it. _Come on… You're all we've got now…_

_

* * *

_

When Link heard the doorknob rattle, he quickly stuffed his hands behind his back and leaned against the wall, hoping nobody would notice the strange marking on his hand or that he'd been freed from his bindings.

With a slight creek, the door suddenly swung open, and a person was shoved roughly into the room.

"Now stay here and keep quiet, Dotour." Came a voice from beyond the door; Link couldn't see who was talking from the position he was sitting in, but he could tell it was male. "We wouldn't want any others dying because of you, now would we?"

As the door began swinging shut, Link quickly blurted out, "Hey! Hey, door guy! Where's my sister? What did you do with her?"

The only response he got was a brief cackle before the door slammed shut, and Link was trapped once more.

Cursing under his breath, Link turned his attention to the figure who was sprawled out on the floor, their hands bound behind their back just as Link's had been. At first glance, he thought it was a girl, what with the long purplish hair that obscured their face. It wasn't until the figure groaned that Link recognized him.

"Kafei?" He asked incredulously, scrambling on his hands and knees over to his… friend? Acquaintance? He wasn't really sure what they were, but they got along well, so that had to count for something.

"Link?" Kafei asked, turning his head to shoot him a quizzical look. "What in Din's name are you doing here?"

"I botched a rescue attempt." he replied, chuckling lightly as he helped the boy to his feet. "You?"

"I got captured wandering the halls on the second floor." He muttered bitterly, straining against his bindings fitfully.

"Hold up, I can cut you free, I just need to find that screw…"

As Link began shuffling around the floor in the general area Aryll had tossed it earlier, he said casually over his shoulder, "So what were you doing wandering the halls? You could get killed that way. Besides, all the exits are on the ground floor."

Kafei grunted sourly. "I was looking for Sakon."

"Sakon?" Link asked, grinning to himself in silent victory as he found the elusive screw and turned to hack at the duct tape surrounding Kafei's wrists. The name sounded familiar though, like he'd heard it before… and recently, too… he just didn't know where.

"The guy who brought me in." He clarified.

"Well… You apparently found him."

Kafei snorted derisively. "Oh yeah, I found him… Course, I'd lost the gun I'd stolen by that point, and he managed to capture me…"

Link's eyebrows drew together in a puzzled expression. Kafei had stolen a gun? And he was looking for this Sakon fellow? He couldn't help but feel like he was overlooking some incredibly important fact, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out what it was.

With a final tug, Link's screw severed the bindings and Kafei was able to pull free. He made sure not to rip the tape off like a certain demented little sister of his.

"Thanks." he muttered, stretching his arms over his head with a grunt.

"No problem." He replied lightly, taking a step back and pocketing the screw. It might come in handy in the future.

Now that Kafei was free, there was an awkward pause as the two guys regarded each other blankly, unsure of what to say next.

"So…" Kafei said, scratching the back of his head as his gaze wandered the small, narrow closet.

"Yeah." Link said, nodding vaguely.

"What's the story with them?" he asked, gesturing to the two woman in the back corner.

"Ignore them." Link replied, shrugging offhandedly. "I think they're paralyzed with fear or something. They haven't said a word since I've been in here."

"How long have you been in here, anyway?" He asked, sitting down on a beaten up cardboard box labeled 'referrals'.

"Um… I'm not sure. It's hard to keep track of time. I don't even know what time it is now, but I'd guess around… twenty minutes? Approximately?"

Kafei nodded slowly, lightly tapping his fingers on his knees. "So… who were you trying to rescue when you got captured?"

"My sister." Link said, sighing as he leaned back against the wall, folding his arms over his chest.

Kafei blinked.

"Aryll?"

"Er… yeah? How do you know my sister?" Link asked slowly, looking tense. He liked Kafei and all, but if he had some secret past with his baby sister…

"Because we were trapped in the same room together." He said, a faraway look in his eyes. "We… We managed to subdue or captor and escape into the hallway, but… We were overtaken by Sakon… Sakon, he… he…"

"Ah…" Link said, sudden understanding blooming in his mind, "So that's where you got the gun…"

And then it hit him. Kafei had been with his sister. His sister had been with Zelda. Zelda had been with Saria and Malon and…

"Anju!" Link suddenly blurted out.

Kafei's head jerked back up from where it had sunken down to stare at his stylish sneakers, surprise and confusion evident on his face. Link was startled to see tears in his usually cool and composed brown eyes.

"W-What?" He asked, and Link realized he didn't know. Zelda had told him that Anju's boyfriend had run off after Sakon, which is where he must have heard the name, after Anju had been shot, but he hadn't made the connection that it was Kafei until now. Of course he'd chased after him; he thought Anju was dead and he was seeking revenge.

"Anju, your girlfriend. She was with you. And so was Zelda, and Saria, and Malon, right?"

"How did you know…" he asked, his voice trailing off as he stared at Link, looking at once confused over Link's insight as well as lost and pained over his girlfriend's supposed demise.

"Because, we met up with the group right after you ran off and Aryll was taken!" Link said, suddenly excited. "We being me and Sheik, that is. You know him, right? Yeah, so we rescued them from the bad guys and told them about the exit in the kitchens and helped stem the blood flow and then they told me about Aryll so me and Sheik decided to go our own way and… Well, the point is, I'm pretty sure Anju's ok!"

It wasn't until Link finished that he realized that he'd said that entire miniature speech in one breath. Panting slightly, he waited patiently for some sign of understanding or relief from the purple-haired boy, but Kafei's face remained completely blank.

Blinking awkwardly, and feeling a little let down that his pronouncement wasn't met with something a little more exciting, Link coughed and said, "Um… Kafei? Did you hear me? Anju's fine. Well, not fine, but alive at least. Zelda and the others carried her to safety. She's probably at the hospital by now. Kafei? Are you ok?"

To his surprise, Link realized that Kafei's hands were trembling. Slowly, he looked down, turning his hands upward so he could look at his palms, and for the first time Link realized they were covered in dried blood. Presumably Anju's.

"She's alive…?" he whispered softly, staring intently at the stains as if he could see her in them.

"Yeah. Or, I'm pretty sure. I think Ganondorf would have mentioned to me if-"

Without warning, Kafei launched himself from his seated position towards Link. He barely had time to put his arms up in defense before realizing that Kafei was hugging him, tightly.

"Thank you…" He whispered, silently crying onto Link's shoulder. "Thank you…"

"N-No problem." Link stammered awkwardly, gently patting the boy on the back. "It's nothing, really. I'm sure you would have done the same for me."

Right after he said it, he felt stupid. He didn't have a girlfriend, so Kafei couldn't have done the same for him, even if he tried. Sure, it was the principle of the thing that mattered, but still… For a moment, Link imagined himself as Kafei and Zelda as Anju before hurriedly shaking his head to clear his thoughts. Now was not the time to fantasize about the cute new girl.

Taking Link's shoulders in either hand, Kafei held him out at arms length and looked him straight in the eye. "No. It's not nothing. Anju means the world to me, and you saved her life. I don't know how I can even begin to repay you…"

"Look, don't sweat it." Link said, suddenly feeling embarrassed. "It was a group effort. Besides, Zelda and the other girls did most of the work. And you don't need to repay me, or anybody. Friends help each other out, that's all."

Kafei gave him a watery grin before letting him go. "Right. Friends help each other out… So let me help you out."

"Um…" Link said slowly, scratching his head as he looked around the room. "If you know a way out of here, then sure, but…"

"That's not what I meant." Kafei said, chuckling. "Let me help you save your sister. She's become my friend now too, and I can't just leave her here. Besides," he added as Link opened his mouth to argue, "I still need to repay Sakon for what he did to Anju."

Link stared at Kafei for a moment, mulling it over. He certainly would need help if he was going to find Aryll and get out of here… He didn't even know where she was. For that matter, he didn't know where Sheik or Midna were either. And if Kafei was going to be here anyway…

"Alright." Link said, nodding curtly and holding out a hand, "Let's do this. Escape the closet, find my sister, and get out of here alive. I think we can handle it."

"Ok!" Kafei said, clapping his hand to Link's and shaking it. "Operation bust outta Ordon High is a go!"

* * *

So guess what? That's right. I absolutely abhore this chapter. Go figure.

But no. Never before have I been faced with something that so actively resisted its own creation. Every time I tried to write this thing, it was like it came to life, entered my brain, and murdered all creative thought processes. I hate you, chapter. I hate you so, so much.

The good news is, the next chapter is going to be epic, and as well it should be. It's the beginning of the climax, after all. Be prepared for mass epicness on a nuclear scale, my friends... as long as I'm not killed by this biblical plague of illnesses that has been hounding me these last few weeks.

So remember kids: Live long and prosper. Be excellent to each other. Party on, dudes. And drop me a review to tell me how much you love me. Or... how much you hate me. Either way, I'm happy.

And most importantly of all: Keep it Zesty

ZC


	14. Daughter of Wisdom

_Ah ha! I'm back! Did you miss me? Heck, what am I saying? Of course you did!_

_Now, before you read, there is something you should know: The epic chapter that I promised you? Yeah... This is only half of it. _

_I know what you're thinking: 'Wait, what? But this chapter is so long!' And it is! It's ginormous! But I'll explain more fully at the end. Right now, just read and enjoy._

* * *

**Chapter 14**

**Daughter of Wisdom**

It occurred to Zelda that wandering the halls of a high school that you're not yet familiar with is a lot like being lost in a labyrinth. Every turn was suspenseful, she didn't know which hallway led to which room, and all she had to guide her was the vague knowledge that the office was in one direction, and the stairs in another. This information was not enough to prevent her from getting turned around several times, and after a short while she had no idea where she was.

At any moment now, she was prepared for David Bowie to pop out and begin serenading her in his skin tight leather pants. Curse her father's abhorrent fascination with 80's movies…

It also didn't help that she was surrounded by homicidal wackos with sociopathic tendencies. As if she needed any more stress…

She'd been doing fairly well avoiding the gunmen at the beginning, up until she heard the sound of approaching footsteps behind her and she'd been forced to duck into an adjacent hallway. She'd all but ran the length of it, careful to make her footsteps quiet, and she'd ducked into the girls restroom for a while until she was certain the coast was clear.

When she'd finally come out, she realized she had no idea where she was, and the feeling of claustrophobia settled upon her shoulders like a mantle, weighing her down and making her steps drag.

And now, she was lost. Hopelessly, desperately lost, with no idea where to go or what to do. Worst of all, she was no closer to finding a way to save the police officers whom her vision had showed her were going to die.

As Zelda rounded the nearest corner, she felt her heart lurch painfully as she found herself at the foot of the staircase that led to the main office. Hesitating briefly, she staved off the inexplicably overwhelming feeling of dread that seemed to flow into her at the sight of the stairwell and pushed on, desperate to leave the area as soon as possible.

Passing an alcove with two large double-doors, she decided to sneak a peek inside through the one of the tiny rectangular windows to check for more shooters. To her surprise she'd arrived at the library, the door to which couldn't have been more than twenty feet from the stairs. From what she could see, it was abandoned; not an attacker or hostage in sight. Oddly, one of the panes of glass was shattered in the window that led to the computer lab she knew lay in the back of the library, an ancient clunky monitor laying amongst the shards on the faded carpet. Even more strange, a large chunk of what looked like a section of an air vent lay amidst chunks of plaster and broken ceiling tiles in the center of the library. Apparently, something big had gone down in here.

Mildly curious, Zelda turned to continue on when suddenly a voice, clear and pure as the chime of a bell, rang out in her head.

_Get in the library._

Zelda hesitated, unsure if she was hearing the mysterious voice that had been hounding her steps ever since her botched escape attempt at the kitchen, or if she was merely hallucinating. To be fair, she wasn't sure if her all of her 'visions' weren't just hallucinations as well, caused by the stress of today's events and the terror she'd been plagued with since early that morning.

Once again, the voice spoke to her, soft yet firm.

_Danger approaches, my daughter. Get in the library. _

Deciding on the spot to trust the voice, seeing as it hadn't _yet_ led her astray, she quickly yanked one of the doors open and slid quietly inside, careful not to make a sound as she let it close slowly behind her, crouched down on her knees to avoid being spotted through the window.

She waited hesitantly for a moment, absentmindedly scratching the back of her hand and feeling a little foolish about hiding behind a door for no obvious reason… until she heard it: the dull thunk of swiftly approaching footsteps.

Trying desperately to quell the rising panic, she took several slow, calming breaths and tried to focus her attention to the sounds from the hallway beyond.

After a frenzied moment, she realized that the sounds she was hearing belonged to not one, but a handful of people, though she couldn't say how many there were through the door. Not only that, they weren't coming from either end of the hall, but rather from the stairs she had just passed; from the main office.

Shuffling forward, she pressed her ear against the crack between the double doors and strained to pick up any sound other than the relentless stomping.

The footsteps drew closer and closer, until she was almost certain whoever was coming was planning on entering the library. Panicking slightly, she prepared herself to crawl away and hide behind the check-out counter when suddenly, without warning, the footsteps stopped.

Silence reigned in the hallway for a moment, and then a voice rang out, ominously echoing in the quiet hall. The voice was deep and authoritative and unbearably cruel… and horribly familiar. She felt her skin prickle and her mouth go dry as she recognized the voice from the cemetery that morning.

Ganondorf.

"You have your orders." He intoned darkly. "You are to gather up the rest of our number on this floor and proceed down to the cafeteria where I will station you. Don't dawdle; the police will arrive in only a matter of minutes, and if you wish to live you need to be in your places."

Another voice spoke up, sounding both hesitant and awed. "S-Sir, what about the s-students? Do you mean to leave them unguarded?"

Ganondorf snorted contemptuously. "No. Leave one guard for each room that houses our hostages. Seeing as there are only six or so rooms left with prisoners, we should have more than enough forces to overwhelm the police."

There was a slight pause, then another voice spoke up, sounding almost reverent. "Master Ganondorf, if I may… How much longer do you think we can hold out? Eventually, the police will overwhelm us and take back the students."

Silence again claimed the hallway. From her position, Zelda couldn't see what was happening in the hall outside. After a moment the soft sound of footsteps could be heard, and she could only assume that Ganondorf was approaching the speaker.

"Do you truly doubt your lord and master so?" He asked softly, like the rasp of a blade being drawn from a sheath.

"N-No, of course not, I just-"

"Do you perhaps presume that you know more than I?"

The boy sounded truly frightened now. "P-please, forgive me, Ganondorf. I-I didn't mean-"

There was a sudden shuffling sound, then before Zelda could begin to fathom what was happening, the sharp blast of gunfire suddenly reverberated throughout the room, followed by a loud thud.

Zelda bit her cheek to keep from crying out in horror.

"Now," Ganondorf said nonchalantly, as though he hadn't just murdered one of his subordinates. "Does anyone else have any questions? No? Good. Now get to work. And hurry, we haven't much time."

As one, the figures in the hall snapped into motion, spreading out in every direction. Zelda was forced to remain where she knelt, her knees aching on the hard ground as she hugged her arms to herself, shuddering slightly.

When the sound of the last pair of footsteps faded into the distance, Zelda took a deep, steadying breath and rose to her feet, brushing her knees off in distaste. Setting her face in a determined expression, she slowly pushed the door open and exited the room.

The hall was quiet; almost painfully so. It was unnerving how closely the silence in a high school could mirror that of a crypt. Try as she might, she couldn't stop herself from looking at the body on the floor, as though her eyes were drawn to it by magnetic force. It was a boy, about her age, with short curly hair and a pallid complexion. His eyes were green and wide with surprise, though they gazed without seeing, and his body was in a strange, half-twisted position from where he fell. The bullet hold in his chest was large, and from it came the ever widening pool of blood.

Zelda squeezed her eyes shut and swallowed back the bile that rose in her throat.

_Hurry_

Releasing the breath she hadn't known she was holding, she tore her gaze away from the boy and darted off down a random hallway, tears welling up in her eyes.

To her immense surprise, Zelda didn't run into a single person as she strode down the endlessly long hallway that she assumed made up the backbone of the school. The hall contained no rooms; only a vast stretch of lockers that periodically changed colors from dull brown to mottled green and back again. Forcing herself to stop thinking about the dead boy, she tried her best to remember what Ganondorf had said… He was marshalling his forces for the invasion… that was proof enough that her vision had been accurate. And if they were already getting in place, then there wasn't much time left. But what could she do? The exits were blocked, so she couldn't get outside to warn them. And her phone had been taken, so she had no communication with the outside world. She could try signaling out a window, but all the windows were barred, and there was little hope that any of the police officers would be able to see her, let alone understand what she was trying to tell them.

As she rounded yet another corner, her shoulders tense and her ankles sore, she felt her heart jump with pure, unadulterated joy when she recognized the dingy, dimly lit stairwell at the end. There was a way out! She wasn't lost in this veritable death trap!

She felt her giddiness die within her as she realized that an exit wasn't going to help her solve her problem. If anything, she was safer on the second floor at the moment anyway, since Ganondorf had just ordered all the assailants downstairs to deal with the police.

Still… maybe she could find a way to… to what? To walk through walls? To fly? To magically teleport herself to the roof and-

The roof!

Zelda nearly let out a triumphant cry of victory before remembering where she was. If her guide yesterday was any indication, the entrance to the roof was up on the third floor, opposite the entrance to the main office! And since Ganondorf was downstairs, the office was likely empty! It was her only chance!

Turning promptly on the spot, Zelda hurried back the way she came, her heart light with relief, a definitive spring in her step and a triumphant grin on her face. Finally, things were going right…

"…have long, so we need to hurry up."

Zelda froze, her heart pounding. That voice… where had it come from?

"Yeah. I reckon' I don't wanna be on Ganon's bad side when he finally reveals his 'big surprise' or whatever the heck he's been talkin' 'bout."

They were coming down the hall she had come from! Fear quickening her movements, Zelda whirled around and bolted for the other hallway, opposite the staircase she had seen. However, as she drew near, the sound of multiple footsteps could be heard echoing off of the walls and lockers.

Biting her lip anxiously, Zelda mentally berated herself for forgetting that Ganondorf had sent his henchmen to fetch his _other_ henchmen, so obviously they would be heading towards the nearest staircase to get down to the first floor. Casting her eyes about wildly for some form of escape, her eyes alighted upon a door midway between both halls.

Darting forward, the seized the handle, turned it and hurriedly scrambled inside, letting the door close as quietly as possible before sinking to the ground with her back to the cool wood, her heart beating wildly and her breathing erratic.

After a moment, she heard the footsteps outside pass by, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't been noticed… She was safe… No one had found her…

"…Are you ok?"

To give her credit, her shriek could have outclassed every actress in any horror movie she'd ever seen.

The boy standing in front of her jumped back with a startled expression before chuckling lightly. He bore a vaguely amused expression, though his humor didn't reach his eyes.

"Calm down. I'm not going to hurt you." he said softly, extending a hand to help her up.

Zelda regarded him cautiously as she struggled to catch her breath and regain her composure. The boy was a year or two younger than her; a little on the short side, though to be fair she was a little taller than average. His hair was dirty blonde and in wild disarray; hers couldn't have looked much better. His jeans looked dusty; he must have been sitting on the floor, and his pale-white button up shirt was wrinkled. He'd rolled up the sleeves, revealing lightly tanned forearms, though he wasn't particularly muscular, and the first three buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing a white undershirt. The most noticeable part of his person were his eyes- slate grey, like storm clouds, they were sunken into his face as though he'd been forced to endure a string of sleepless nights, and they were bloodshot. That, coupled with the streaks on his cheeks, led her to deduce that he'd been crying recently.

Glancing over the room briefly to assure herself that there were no other surprise people waiting to pop out and terrify her, Zelda swallowed roughly and managed to stammer, "Y-You startled me…"

"I can see that." he replied. His tone suggested he was trying very hard to appear light and carefree, but the hollow expanse she could see in her eyes belied his true feelings. He was masking something… a pain of some sort. Well… he was hardly the only teenager in this school who would be hiding some emotional trauma by the end of the day, and Zelda would be one of them.

Finally deigning to accept his assistance, she grasped his hand in her own and allowed him to haul her to her feet. Just as she had guessed, he was about an inch shorter than her. Walking forward to sit on a desk, she gratefully took a seat and let out a frustrated sigh.

"So were you being chased?" he asked softly, sitting in the teachers chair. Behind him, on the black board, she could see the name 'Professor Ezlo' written in neat calligraphy, right above a list of reading assignments.

"No… But I could hear people coming from both hallways, so I ran to the nearest available hiding spot." She said, and the boy nodded in an understanding way.

They were quiet for a moment, both of them blankly examining the room around them and not saying anything. Finally, Zelda cleared her throat awkwardly and said, "So… What about you? What are you doing in here?"

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "What? You think I should be wandering the halls randomly? I don't know about you, but I don't really feel like getting shot."

"Point taken." She said, laughing sheepishly.

"What's your name?" He asked, leaning back in the office chair. She could tell he was trying to be nonchalant again. What _was_ he hiding? Why did he look so devastated? Did he have to watch someone he know die? She shuddered slightly at the thought, her heart going out to the strange boy.

"Zelda." She said, then after a moment, "Zelda Nohanson. You?"

"Collin Smith." He replied.

Zelda nodded, then bit her lip as she looked away to examine the room, wondering if it was safe to venture back into the halls yet. Casting her eyes about randomly, she found herself staring at a phone on Professor Ezlo's desk.

_Hurry_

Suddenly ecstatic, Zelda launched herself off the desk towards the telephone. Clutching the receiver in her hand, she hurriedly pressed it up to her ear, struggling to dial 9-1-1 upside-down.

"What are you doing" Collin asked curiously as Zelda gave a groan of frustration and slammed the receiver back in place.

"The phone's aren't working!" She exclaimed crossly, slumping back down on the desk she'd been sitting on and folding her arms over her chest with a 'humph!'.

"Well of course not." He said, rolling his eyes as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Which, she just realized, it kinda was. "Ganondorf cut them as soon as the attack began. He wanted to delay the police arriving as much as possible."

Zelda sighed despondently, looking defeated.

"Who were you going to call anyway? Your parents?"

"No." She grumbled, folding her legs beneath her and unfolding her arms so she could rest her chin on her hands. "I was gonna call the cops."

Collin gave her a strange look. "What for? They're already outside."

"I know. And they're about to stage an invasion of the school through the entrance in the cafeteria's kitchen. Only, Ganondorf knows somehow, and he's got a trap laid for them. All of the police officers are going to die if I don't find a way to warn them in time."

It was only after she'd explained her intentions to Collin that she realized how completely insane she must sound. There was no logical way of explaining how she'd come across this knowledge, and if Shad and Ashei's reactions had been any indicator, Collin was only going to think she was crazy.

Casting a quick glance at the boy to gauge his reaction, she was surprised to see him staring at her in shock, his face drained of any and all color and his eyes stretched wide open.

"How… How do you know?" He asked, looking stricken.

"I…" She started, then paused, biting her lip. What was she supposed to say? A mysterious disembodied voice pulled my mind from my body and showed me a vision in a world of foggy nothingness? Right… That would go over well…

"I… I overheard Ganondorf telling his cronies." She said quickly, remembering the incident at the library only a few minutes earlier.

Thankfully, Collin didn't question her about that any further. "Do you know when the S.W.A.T. team is supposed to infiltrate the school? How long do we have to warn them? Do you have a plan?"

"I'm not sure exactly when it's supposed to happen," Zelda said slowly, surprised by the desperate tone of his voice, "but I think we have only a matter of minutes. Ganondorf is probably setting up the trap right now, which means the officers could be here any moment. As for a plan… I don't know. The only thing I can think of is maybe going to the roof and trying to warn them-"

"No good." Collin said, shaking his head quickly. He was leaning forward intently now, an unreadable look in his eye. "The door to the roof is locked at all times. Besides, even if we managed to pick the lock, the alarm would go off, then Ganondorf would know where we were."

Zelda sighed, defeated. "Well, then what can we do? The doors are locked, the only exits guarded, the windows are barred, and the phones are dead! There's nothing else!"

Collin drew his eyebrows together, looking troubled.

Inside her head, the voice whispered again, this time more urgent. _Hurry._

"The phone lines have been cut…" Collin said slowly, staring at the desk with a pensive expression, "But… But what if we use a phone that doesn't use a landline?"

"What, you mean like a cell phone?" Zelda asked.

"Yeah. Cell phones would still work." He said, sounding emboldened by his words.

It was Zelda's turn to roll her eyes. "Well that's just fantastic. Unfortunately, Ganondorf's underlings stole everyone's phones, remember? So unless for some reason you still have yours…"

Collin shook his head. "No, mine was taken too."

Zelda groaned and hid her face in her hands. "Then there's nothing we can do…"

"Where did they put your phone when they took it?" Collin asked after a moment.

Zelda shrugged. "I don't know. Into a bag or something. Why?"

"Because. If we can find one of the stashes of phones, then we can call the Chief of Police and tell him before they attempt to infiltrate the school!"

"Find one of the… What are you, insane? The phones are probably being kept by the guards who are watching the rooms! We'd have to overpower a guy with a gun to get at them!"

Collin appeared briefly stymied, then shook his head and said, excitement lacing his words, "But haven't some of the students escaped? At least one of the rooms has to be empty, and I doubt they thought to take the phone stashes with them!"

Zelda opened her mouth to argue back, when suddenly she remembered that she had been in one of those groups that had made an escape attempt. They'd left their guard tied up, but had forgotten the phones that he'd taken from them. They were likely still in the desk…

She gasped, her eyes widening. "Collin, you're a genius!"

He offered a small smile, but once again it didn't reach his eyes. She decided she'd worry that later; right now, they had phones to find.

"Now all we need to is find a room that's been abandoned, and-"

"Miss Marie's geometry class." Zelda said firmly, and Collin blinked.

"Er… are you sure?"

"Positive. Can you get us there?"

"Well… sure, but-"

"Then let's go!" With a sudden surge of energy, Zelda leapt to her feet, surprising even herself. Collin followed suit, though a bit more reservedly, and together they hastened towards the door.

"Um, Collin?" Zelda asked, a sudden thought occurring to her, "How are we going to get a hold of the Chief of Police before he gives the order and they make it in?"

"By calling his personal cell number." The boy muttered offhandedly, casting his gaze down both sides of the hallway through the door's window before opening it and ushering Zelda onward.

She stared at him, nonplussed. "…How do you know the Chief of Police's personal cell number?"

"Easy," Collin said, turning to meet her gaze, and once again Zelda was subjected to the hollow chasm of grief hidden within his cloudy eyes. "He's my father."

Zelda gaped, but Collin didn't wait for an answer. Darting ahead of her, the boy crept silently down the hall, leaving her standing stunned in the doorway.

Gathering her wits, she hurried after him, careful to listen for the telltale sound of approaching madmen. Her mind was spinning; there she was, trapped in a high school full of emotionally disturbed teens who were out for blood, guided by a mysterious voice from nowhere on an impossible mission to save the lives of the doomed police men, and just as she was about to give up hope she just _happens_ to stumble across the son of the police chief?

Sure, Zelda believed in coincidences, but this was pushing it a little far. Had she been guided here by the mysterious voice? Or was some greater power at play? She had the sudden mental image of vast, omnipotent deities watching her creep through the high school on a high def television. She shuddered involuntarily; she didn't like being watched. It made her skin prickle.

As she and Collin paused at the intersection that led to the staircase on her right and another random hallway on her left, she took a moment to ask, in a rather breathless voice, "You sure this is the right way?"

"Well, considering I have her every Tuesday and Thursday during third period…" He muttered, and Zelda blushed despite herself.

"Er, right. Sorry. Lead on."

Their journey through the halls was mostly uneventful, for which Zelda was immensely grateful. Though their steps echoed off the cold metal of the lockers that lined the walls, and though her own breathing sounded loud in her ears, the school seemed eerily quiet. She supposed this was because Ganondorf had pulled most of his men downstairs where they were silently awaiting the police to fall for their trap.

_Hurry_

Zelda licked her lips and once again found herself scratching at the back of her hand. Glancing down quickly, she groaned inwardly when she noticed the large, blotchy red patch of skin that adorned the back of her hand. It was spreading; in fact, if she didn't know any better, she'd say it looked like a large triangle. She must have gotten some kind of chemical spilled on her at some point during the day. That or the stress was giving her a rash. Great, just what she needed on top of everything else. An embarrassing skin rash. Today was seriously _not_ her day.

Clenching her fists to stop herself from scratching, turned her attention back to the hallway and grunted as she plowed right into the back of Collin. Staggering backward and clutching a locker for support, she sent the boy an irritated look.

"What are you doing?" she hissed, only to be met with a placating hand motion and a soft 'shh!'. Gesturing to a door Zelda hadn't realized was in front of them, she was surprised to hear the sounds of some sort of commotion coming out muffled through the crack between the door and the floor.

There was a loud bang, like a desk had just been turned over, followed by twin shouts of anger and pain. Zelda exchanged baffled looks with Collin, then crept closer, eager to find out exactly what was going on in the mysterious room.

Careful to keep herself as low as possible, she peeked one eye into the room through the window, trusting the commotion within to draw the full attention of anyone who was in the room and prevent her from being noticed.

At first, the room didn't look any different than any other classroom she had yet been in. The desks were in sloppy rows, facing the black board that was obscured from her limited vision on the wall that separated the class from the hall. There was a globe perched precariously on a filing cabinet in the corner, and next to the window at the back of the room sat an antique brass telescope. The walls were covered in pictures of geographical locations around Hyrule, as well as a large poster of the ancient castle once owned by the Royal Family; clearly this was a history class of some sort. A relatively small gaggle of students, maybe ten or so, stood huddled in the corner, looking fearful and distressed; several of the younger students were in tears, others were hiding their faces from the spectacle that taking place at the front of the room, directly in front of Zelda.

A red-headed boy lay with his legs sprawled on the ground, propped up an elbow, his wavy hair still somehow perfectly coifed and styled. He was clutching his side fitfully with one hand, blood slowly dripping through the odd blue jacket he wore, staining his fingers and the tiled floor a sinister red. He was breathing heavily, though it seemed mostly from exertion, as he lay propped up on one hand, glaring viciously at a person Zelda couldn't see; the wound must have just grazed his side, not punctured anything vital or else he'd be more like Anju, pale and unresponsive.

Scooting carefully to the side so she could see more of the room, Zelda felt surprise overtake her as her eyes fell upon the captor.

It was a girl.

She didn't know why this fact startled her so much. There was no reason why Ganondorf couldn't have brought in a female to help him dominate the school; she had just never considered the possibility since all of the other shooters seemed to be male. Sure, she'd heard a female voice when she was hiding downstairs in the snack bar, but that was different from actually _seeing_ one.

The girl, whoever she was, was beautiful. Her skin was pale and flawless, her jet black hair undulated down her back, sparkling in the garish lighting of the classroom. Her lips were luscious and painted red, and her eyes were dark and sparkling with intelligence. The only thing that ruined her appearance was the sneer on her face and the gun in her grip, held firmly in a hand that sported long, sharp black nails, the nose of which pointed directly towards the boy on the floor.

Though the voices were muffled through the door, Zelda could just barely make out what was being said.

"So…" The girl drawled, panting slightly as she slowly advanced towards the boy on the floor. "That was it, then? Your big escape attempt? Pity. I expected more from you, Ralphy."

Her voice was smooth and alluring, the kind you would expect an award winning movie star to have. Zelda was baffled; why would a girl as pretty as her choose to work for Ganondorf?

The boy on the floor, Ralph she assumed, scowled back darkly. "You just got lucky," he panted, shifting backward slightly in a vain attempt to distance himself from her.

She snorted derisively. "You call what you did, hollering like an idiot and blindly charging forward then accidentally tripping over a desk and falling on top of me 'luck'?"

Ralph's face flushed darkly, but his bravado only seemed to swell under her scrutiny. "Yes, luck! If that desk hadn't have been there-"

"You mean if you weren't such a klutz." She cut in, and he spluttered in furious incoherence.

Suddenly, the girl let out a blood-chilling cackle that made Zelda's hair stand on end. Despite the girl's obvious beauty, her laugh was not attractive at all…

"Oh, Ralphy, Ralphy, what _am_ I going to do with you?" she tittered, enjoyment apparent on her face as though it had been written there with a marker.

"Do whatever you want, Veran." Ralph spat, his ego recovering faster than Zelda could blink. "It doesn't matter. You'll never win. Even if I die here today, someone is going to beat you and Ganondorf. Your plan was pointless. You're all either going to jail, or you're going to die. Nobody wins."

"Pointless, you say…" Veran said softly, so much so that Zelda almost missed it, a slow smile slowly splitting across her face. Though her teeth were pearly white, her smile made her skin stretch in a very unpleasant way, making her face look sallow and ghastly.

Ralph drew back, looking uncertain, and Zelda was surprised to find she'd done the same behind the window. Something was wrong with this girl… Very wrong… The back of Zelda's hand gave an annoying twinge.

"It seems, Ralph, that I must make an example of you to the other prisoners." Veran stated simply, as though discussing the weather, her face suddenly snapping back to her previous look of imperious beauty. Ralph's face paled.

A sudden tap at her shoulder make Zelda jump.

"What?" She mouthed at furiously Collin, trying hard to juggle her attention between the blonde haired boy and the couple in the classroom.

"We need to move on." He replied, whispering as he glanced nervously down the hall behind them. "We don't have much time, and the police could barge in any moment. We need to get to Miss Marie's and find a phone, quick."

Zelda gaped at him, astonished. "But… What about the people in the classroom? What about Ralph? She's going to kill him!"

Collin fixed her with a flat look. "We don't have time to waste here, Zelda. And besides, there's nothing we can do. Veran has a gun, we don't. We'd be killed along with him. We need to focus on trying to warn the police, which is something we know we can do, as opposed to trying to save Ralph, which is something we almost definitely can't do."

Zelda groaned, feelings of hopelessness threatening to overwhelm her. Collin certainly had a point, but… could she really just abandon this boy to his fate?

Raising a hand to wipe some of the weariness from her eyes, she was startled to notice the rash on her hand had changed; it was definitely triangular in shape, but now she could see it wasn't one, but three triangles placed together in such a way that it formed one large triangle. Even more shocking than that, it was no longer a blotchy red, but a pale yellow.

She stared at the shape in consternation. Could the marking on her hand not be a rash at all? Could it instead have something to do with the mysterious voice she'd been hearing all day? Collin cleared his throat impatiently, urging her to get a move on down the hall. From within the class, she heard Veran announce in a loud, clear voice "I'll give you twenty seconds to pray to the goddesses, Ralph. And when they don't help you, you'll get to see just who's 'won' today."

Running her thumb over the mark and closing her eyes, Zelda quickly called out in her mind to the voice. _Please, whoever you are, whether spirit or goddess… Let me know what to do. _

In her mind, she heard the voice again, though this time it seemed to echo throughout her whole body, making her tingle from head to toes, suffusing her entire being with warmth. _Hurry, my daughter._

And in that instant, she knew what to do.

Turning to grasp the handle, she heard Collin exclaim in a hiss, "What are you _doing_?"

"What needs to be done." She replied. "Maybe I don't know if I can help him, but I know that I have to try. I wouldn't be able to live with myself otherwise. Besides," she added when he opened his mouth to argue, "you don't need me anymore. You know what you need to do to make things right, and after all, he's your father. You're the one who needs to make the call. I was just the messenger."

She didn't know what possessed her to say that, but she didn't pause to think about it. Leaving behind a lost and bewildered Collin, Zelda turned the handle and, without preamble, burst into the room.

As one, every head turned to look at her, surprise evident on their faces; the students looked frightened, Ralph confused, Veran utterly baffled.

As Zelda stood there, panting slightly while the door slowly swung shut behind her, she realized that she probably should have thought of a plan before bursting in here. How was she supposed to save Ralph, anyway? The only thing she could think of was when she'd kicked the legs out under the attacker who'd held her hostage and Kafei had pinned him to the desk, and that didn't seem like a likely possibility in this scenario.

Unbidden, the image of her tacking Vaati to buy time for Anju and the girls rose to her mind.

"What-" Veran began blankly, but before she could finish Zelda let out a strangled cry and charged the girl, slamming into her and sending them both careening wildly into the desks.

It didn't occur to her until halfway through her charge that this was exactly what Veran had said Ralph had attempted, and that it hadn't worked out very well for him… Thankfully, Zelda was more coordinated than red-headed boy, and didn't have any furniture impeding her way.

As the two crashed to the floor, bringing a couple desks with them, Zelda struggled in vain to grab hold of the girl's gun, knowing it was her only chance to save herself. Unfortunately, she hadn't expected Veran to possess such incredible strength. Seizing Zelda by her hair with her free hand, she pulled the defenseless girl's head back and bashed her across the temple with the butt of her gun.

Spots exploded across Zelda's vision, blinding and disorienting her. Grabbing each of Veran's wrists to cease prevent any more attacks like the last one, Zelda struggled to heave herself upward and, with all of her might, drove her knee into Veran's stomach, expelling the air from her lungs with a pained grunt.

Not giving up, Veran gave a ferocious snarl and twisted around, struggling to break free of Zelda's hold. Gathering her legs in front of her, she shoved Zelda off with an almighty kick, slamming the blonde girl into a nearby fallen desk. Wincing as the hard metal struck her side where she sported the bruise from Vaati's wrath, Zelda tried in vain to stand, but before she could Veran let out a screech like a wet cat and smacked Zelda in the face, her nails leaving bloody furrows in her cheek. Before she could react, Veran kicked out again, catching Zelda in the stomach and sending her sliding across the tiled floor where she came to a rest directly beneath the teacher's desk, one of her legs upsetting a nearby waste basket and strewing the contents all over the floor.

Zelda lay there in agony, gasping for breath as she gingerly palpated the wound on her side; it felt like she'd broken something. Moreover, her cheek was stinging fiercely, and she could feel the blood dripping freely down her cheek. Still a little disoriented from the blow to the head, Zelda struggled to sit up, but to no avail. Lifting her right hand, she examined the symbol on the back of her hand. It had grown darker, more pronounced. The yellow almost looked gold, and the sight of it emboldened her. For a moment, she wondered if Collin had made it to the geometry class yet…

Veran had taken the time to climb to her feet, and with a very un-feminine roar of rage, she seized the edge of the desk with both hands and turned it over, sending papers and other random odds and ends flying across the room.

Gazing up at the enraged girl, Zelda felt the first true pangs of fear course through her. She really should have thought this through first…

"You…" Veran seethed, breathing heavily, her shoulders trembling with rage. "Who in Din's name are you supposed to be?"

Zelda couldn't tell if this was an actual query she wanted answered, or the start of a rant. In either case, the question was soon forgotten as Veran, with a look of growing horror, noticed the state of her appearance.

"My _hair!_" she screeched, scandalized, running her fingers through her tousled ebony locks. "Look what you did to my hair! It's all tangled and ruined and…"

Veran froze, staring at her fingertips; the nail on her left index finger had snapped off. "_I broke a nail!_" She wailed, tears welling up in her eyes. _"_Look what you did, you little witch! I'm _hideous!_"

Despite the severity of the situation, Zelda couldn't help herself; with an incredibly undignified snort, she erupted in peals of laughter, punctuated only occasionally by stabs of pain from her side. She couldn't help herself; there she was, laying on the ground after losing an impromptu wrestling match with a would-be homicidal teenage girl in a high school full of gunmen, and all Veran could think about was her appearance. Well… girls will be girls… though she was grateful she wasn't _that_ self-absorbed.

If Veran was upset before, she was infuriated now. If you squinted hard enough, Zelda almost thought you could see steam rising off her body as her face turned bright red in rage and embarrassment.

"Oh, you think it's funny, do you?" She hissed ominously. Lifting her gun and pointing it at Zelda, she whispered softly, "How funny is it now?"

Maybe it was because she'd been in this scenario more times than she could remember today, but she felt completely desensitized to the terror that her logical mind was telling her she was supposed to be feeling right now. Instead of quieting, Zelda merely let loose another giggle and said, "Nope. Still funny."

From over behind Veran's legs, Zelda could see Ralph's flabbergasted face. He was casting frantic glances between both girls as he slowly shuffled backward, away from the two and closer to the window.

Feeling the need to imitate his movements, and since the ground was uncomfortable, Zelda let her eyes slide closed as she sat up with a painful groan and slid backward till she could lean her head against the cool brick wall. With a relieved sigh, she fluttered her eyes open again, lamenting at the headache she now had, and tried to focus on the gun toting girl.

Veran looked startled that her threat had no effect. "What, you don't think I'll do it?" she asked, exasperated.

Zelda shrugged, feeling incredibly apathetic about the whole situation. Maybe she'd been hit harder than she thought…

Veran bared her teeth, giving her a slightly demented appearance.

"Fine!" She said hysterically. "Fine! You want me to prove it, then I'll prove it! I'll blow your Din blasted head off, you b-"

"Stop."

Veran and Zelda both whipped their heads towards the new voice with surprise, a poor decision on Zelda's part. Her vision swam, but after a moment she was able to determine the face of the speaker, and she felt her stomach drop.

Collin.

"What are you doing here?" both girls exclaimed, then cast each other surprised looks. The boy stood still, his shoulders set, his face determined. Zelda was surprised to see the hollow look that had dominated his eyes was gone, replaced by a fire that smoldered within. He looked like an entirely different person.

"Listen, you little weasel." Veran snarled, turning her attention to Collin but keeping her gun trained on Zelda. "This isn't any of your business. I don't care what kind of leeway Ganon's given you in exchange for your cooperation. This is _my_ room, and your precious little girlfriend isn't here, so get out!"

Zelda blinked in confusion. Ganon? Cooperation? Girlfriend? What was Veran talking about?

Collin flinched slightly, but otherwise remained impassive. Advancing towards them slowly, he said softly, "You can't kill her, Veran."

Veran sneered. "Oh well, excuuuse me. I forgot I was speaking to the great Collin. You don't give the orders here, weasel. In fact… Explain to me again why I shouldn't just shoot you both and be on my merry little way?"

"I thought Ganondorf ordered that none of the remaining students were to be killed." he replied softly, casting a brief worried look toward Zelda. She tried to give him a reassuring smile to let him know she was ok, but the motion made her cheek sting and she ended up giving more of a pained grimace instead.

Collin frowned, then turned his attention back to Veran. "You don't have a lot of prisoners left. I don't think he'd be too pleased to learn that you killed a couple because you lost your tempter."

"What Ganondorf doesn't know won't hurt him." She replied simply. Suddenly her grin turned feral. "Besides, we're nearly done here anyway. Pretty soon we're not going to need anymore hostages, and then what will we do with all of these students?"

Zelda felt something painful well up inside of her. "Well then what was the point?" She blurted out angrily. "Why? Why gather all the students together and hold out this long? Why not just end it all as soon as you started? That doesn't make any sense!"

Veran shrugged. "Ganon's plans aren't for us to understand. We agree to follow him, and in exchange we receive certain… perks…"

"Like the ability to kill whoever annoys you?" Zelda spat, and Veran chuckled.

"Yeah. Pretty much. And right now…" she gave Zelda a sweet smile. "…this little tramp is going to pay for what she did to my hair."

Without a word, Collin stepped in front of Zelda.

Veran gave an annoyed sigh. "What are you doing?" She asked disdainfully.

"Yeah, Collin, what are you doing?" Zelda hissed from her place on the ground. "There's something very important that you're supposed to be doing right now."

"Sorry Zelda." He said softly over his shoulder. "But you were right. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I allowed an innocent person to die knowing that there might have been something I could have do to stop it. I know that probably better than anyone…"

"Oh, _come on!_" Veran groaned, rolling her eyes overdramatically. "That has got to be the sappiest thing I've ever heard! And don't you already have a girlfriend, Mr. hero? I don't think she's going to be very pleased to hear you're stooping with another girl."

Collin fixed her with a flat look. "Not that it's any of your business, but no. I no longer have a girlfriend."

Veran snorted with laughter, but Collin pressed on. "Though you should try a little harder to hide you jealousy, Veran."

If anything, her laughter increased ten-fold. "What are you talking about?" she gasped between laughs. "As if I'd ever want a pathetic worm like you!"

Collin smiled mirthlessly. "Goddesses, no. But you do want what I had. A normal, healthy relationship. One where your feelings are returned. Tell me, has Ganon ever responded to your advances?"

Veran's smile grew twisted and slid off her face, her eyes growing cold.

"What do you know?" She growled petulantly, and it was Collin's turn to chuckle.

"A lot, apparently."

"Shut up!" Veran screeched, her emotions going haywire, jerking the gun up so it was level with Collin's chest. Zelda felt her breath catch, but Collin remained impassive. "Just shut up! Just for that, you get to die first!"

Zelda opened her mouth to cry out, to draw her attention, to do _something_, but before she could so much as make a sound she heard a grunt, saw a flash of reflected light behind Veran's head, and then with a hollow clunk the girl toppled forward, her eyes rolling into the back of her head.

Zelda stared dumbstruck at the girl's inert form, then slowly rose her eyes to gaze at the figure standing behind her. There, panting slightly, wincing as he gingerly set down the aged brass telescope that he'd retrieved from the corner, stood Ralph in all of his odd blue-sweatered glory.

"Cutting it a little close there." Collin said sarcastically, kneeling down to check on Varen.

Ralph grinned broadly. "I had it all under control. I just didn't expect this beauty to be quite so heavy."

His bravado was undiminished, despite having to be rescued, though she could see the wound on his side was hindering him. Collin gave a grunt and got back to his feet, wiping his hands off on his jeans. "She's unconscious. The injury isn't that serious, but she should be out for a while. Still, we should probably tie her up or something."

"With what?" Ralph asked, leaning against the dented telescope at complete ease, as though he hadn't just narrowly avoided death. "I don't suppose you happen to carry rope on your person."

"No," Collin said slowly, giving the red-head an odd look. "But we can use tape or shoe laces or… Zelda? Are you ok?"

At the sound of her name, Zelda gave a start, jerking out of her muddled reverie.

"Huh? What?"

"I asked if you were ok…" Collin said slowly, giving her a worried look. "It looks like you got the crap kicked out of you."

"Ah, yes." Said Ralph, nodding sagely. "It was a noble effort, truly, but she really isn't cut out for physical combat. Really, with a face like hers, she should try to stick to more supportive roles, and let the men handle the dirty work, eh? It'd be a shame to see a beauty like hers marred because she insists on sticking her nose into dangerous situations where she doesn't belong."

"_Excuse me_?" she shrieked, infuriated. She had just busted in here, recklessly endangering herself to save his life, a complete stranger, and he had the nerve, the _audacity_, to criticize her methods?

Clambering to her feet using the wall for support, she moved to confront him, but with a wobble she felt her legs give out and she fell over sideways. If Collin hadn't been there to catch her, she would have hit the ground.

"In case you hadn't noticed," Zelda growled viciously, struggling in vain to support her own weight on legs that wouldn't obey her, "I got pistol whipped in the head, so forgive me for being too disoriented to focus on the fighting!"

"Now, now, my dear, no need to apologize for the fallibilities of the weaker sex!" Ralph chuckled, amiably, and Collin had to physically restrain Zelda before she could tackle him.

"Considering how she just saved your sorry life," Collin grunted, "maybe you should consider being a bit more grateful…"

"Of course, of course!" the boy exclaimed, and with a rather bizarre flourish he seized the corner of his jacket with one hand and gave what was an unmistakable bow. "You have my sincerest gratitude for providing the distraction I needed to apprehend the villain!"

Slapping his hand over Zelda's mouth to prevent the stream of curses she had been about to shoot at him, Collin quickly said, "She's not feeling too well at the moment. Why don't you go check on the other students, and I'll make sure she's ok."

"A splendid idea!" Ralph exclaimed, and, whirling about on the spot, he promptly marched over to the gaggle of students in the corner, holding the telescope aloft like a scepter and flicking his hair in an overly arrogant manner.

With a snarl, Zelda bit down on Collin's hand, making him yelp.

"What was that for?" She exclaimed as Collin glowered at her, massaging his wounded appendages.

"We can't afford to start fighting amongst each other, even if he is an arrogant, egotistical douche bag." Collin muttered, slowly navigating around the overturned desk and Veran's body and easing Zelda down in the teacher's chair. "Besides," He added when she opened her mouth to argue, "I don't think you're in any fit state to get in another fight. I wasn't kidding when I said you got the crap kicked out of you."

"She got a lucky shot…" Zelda muttered, diligently defending her wounded pride. "It was that first blow to the head. I wasn't able to think straight afterwards…"

"Mmm." Collin grunted, moving her hair to examine her head. "Well, you've got a fantastic goose egg, but I _think_ you'll be ok… Here, look me in the eyes."

"Wha- Why?" She asked, baffled, as he seized her chin and forced her to face him. She was quiet for a moment under his intense scrutiny, his brows furrowed in determination, his eyes the color of a thunderstorm. Finally, he sighed and said, "You have a slight concussion. I guess that explains why you can't stand on your own."

"How do you know that?" She asked, genuinely surprised, and he shrugged, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Your pupils are different sizes. It's basic medical stuff. How's your cheek?" Remembering the gash on her face, she felt it give a particularly nasty twinge and she inwardly groaned.

"How do you think?" She asked sarcastically, and he chuckled.

The two were silent for a moment, then Zelda asked quietly, "…Why did you come back?"

Collin sighed, leaning back against the blackboard, smudging the name that had been written there so it read 'Mr. Aur', rather than whatever it had read before. "It was what you said to me in the hallway… I… I've made some pretty bad decisions today. I thought at the time that they were the right decisions, but I realize now that they weren't right, they were cowardly. So… I considered this the chance to start… repenting, I guess. To start fixing all the bad I've done today."

"Does this bad stuff have anything to do with Ganondorf?" she asked softly, remembering Veran's words, and he sighed.

"Yes… I struck a deal to save my girlfriend. Only, to do so, I had to betray a lot of people… I never meant to hurt anyone, I just wanted to make sure she was safe…"

Zelda was startled when he cut off at the end, his voice choked up with emotion. Tears flooded his eyes, as though the storm clouds were raining, and she felt her heart reach out to him.

"Hey… It's ok. I understand. I'm sure everyone else will too, and so will she, just wait-"

Collin snorted, looking away as he surreptitiously wiped at his eyes. "Hardly. She broke up with me, remember? She told me she never wanted to speak to me again, and I can't exactly blame her…"

Putting a comforting hand on his arm, Zelda tried to summon up her most sympathetic smile. "Don't give up. She'll forgive you. After all, how could anyone stay mad at such a brave guy?"

Collin shot her a quizzical look. "Brave? What's brave about me? You're the brave one. Charging into a classroom unarmed and tackling a girl with a gun? _That's_ brave."

Zelda grinned up at him. "No, that's stupid. What you did was brave. You were ready to take a bullet for me… And you don't even know me! I don't know if I'd be able to do that for a complete stranger. I admire that about you. And the fact that you want to make things right. It's proof that you're a good guy. She'll take you back, just wait and see."

Blushing slightly, he sent her a watery smile, which she returned wholeheartedly. Nayru, she was just making friends everywhere today, wasn't she? She needed to write a book about this: How to make friends under traumatic conditions.

_Hurry, daughter._

Hearing the voice again after such a long pause had Zelda jumping in fear before remembering what it was. Collin sent her a concerned look.

"Zelda? Are you ok, what-"

"Nothing, nothing!" She said hurriedly, making placating gestures quickly with her hands. "But we need to find those phones, fast!"

"Right!" Collin said, replacing his sorrowful expression with one of determination in the blink of an eye.

"Ralph!" Collin called across the room.

"What?"

"Come over here, I have a question!"

"Just a moment!"

Zelda moaned, letting her head slump back against the chair's head rest. "Why did you call him back here…?"

"Because he'll know where Veran hid the phones. It'll save time if we don't have to search for them."

"Ok, but if he makes one more sexist comment…" she said ominously, trailing off as she noticed Ralph picking his way towards them through the myriad desks.

"How might I be of assistance?" he asked, twirling the telescope around for no apparent reason before leaning on it once more. Zelda rolled her eyes and took a deep, calming breath.

"We need to know where Veran took your cell phones." Collin said matter-of-factly.

Ralph grinned cheekily. "Ah, is this a personal call? Got a pretty little lady you want to get a hold of? Or you want to inform dearest Mumsikins that you're ok?"

She could tell by the set of Collin's jaw that he was quickly losing patience, but he kept himself in check. "No, this is a more serious matter, Ralph. And it's urgent. Do you know where they are?"

"Sadly, no." He replied, sighing wistfully. "Those thugs came in and carted them off over an hour ago. They're long since gone."

Zelda felt as though she'd been punched in the stomach, the last vestiges of hope draining out of her like water in a drain.

"Wait, what?" She exclaimed, exchanging fearful looks with Collin. "They took the phones away? Why would they do that? Where did they go?"

"The villains were not particularly forthright with their intentions." Ralph said amusedly, talking to Zelda in a tone that suggested she was a child with limited understanding. She had to bite her lip to stop herself from filleting him with her tongue.

"Then… it's over." Collin said, sounding empty as he slumped back against the chalkboard. "We're out of options…"

Zelda shook her head, lost for words. Truly, they were out of hope. She slumped forward, cradling her head in her hands. There was nothing else they could do…

From somewhere beside her, she heard Ralph ask in a chipper tone, "Now, if I may inquire as to the state of the outside world? I need to be fully informed if I plan to lead us all to safety."

Disgusted, Zelda pushed herself away from the boys, leaving Collin to deal with Ralph as she let the wheels on her chair carry her away.

Unfortunately, she only managed to get a few feet away before her chair caught on something. Grunting sourly, she turned to remove the obstruction and was surprised to see one of the drawers from the desk. It lay upside-down amidst a pile of scattered papers and lecture notes. Out of sheer curiosity, Zelda lifted a pile up and began to sort through them while she considered their predicament.

Was this really the end of the line? Had the voice in her head really led her on this long, ridiculous chase only to tell her that it was nothing more than a long waste of time? The task was useless? The Police were going to die anyway, no matter what she did? And what if Collin had abandoned her to die, would he have had success in Miss Marie's room, or had the phones been taken from there as well? It seemed likely; why would they only remove the phones from one room? They must have realized it was a necessary precaution with the high number of free students navigating the hallways…

But what was she supposed to do now? Where did they go from here? How were they going to escape?

Something registered in her mind, and she quickly flipped back a couple of pages until she found it. There, scrawled on a sheet of paper, was the symbol that adorned the back of her right hand.

Zelda gazed at the paper in shock, then held her hand up to compare. Yes… the two were certainly the same… Three smaller triangles that together formed one large triangle. Though on her hand, it seemed as though the bottom left triangle was a slightly different color than the others… it almost looked like it glowed… But what was it? Why was it there? And what did it mean?

Quickly drawing the page out, she began to scan the page, her eyes darting across it as quickly as she dared.

'_Of all the sacred, mythical objects of Hylian Lore, perhaps the best known and most sought after is the legendary Triforce. Composed of three separate triangles, each of which is said to represent one of the three Goddesses, the Triforce purportedly holds the power to grant the deepest desire of the heart of whomever touches it. For that reason, it was often sought by agents of evil, and was the cause of much strife and contention in Hyrule's history. _

_In one legend, known as 'The Legend of the Hero of Time', it is stated that the wicked King of Thieves managed to seize the Triforce; however, since his heart was not balanced, the Triforce split into its three core pieces (Power, Wisdom, and Courage), and each one was sent to reside in the heart of whomever in Hyrule most embodied these qualities. The Evil King retained the Triforce of Power; the Triforce of Courage went to the mythical Hero of Time; and finally, the Triforce of Wisdom went to a young member of Hyrule's reigning family, later to be nicknamed the Princess of Destiny. _

_As the story goes, the Hero and the Princess banded together, combining the strength of their individual Triforce pieces to overthrow the Evil King and saved Hyrule from his reign of tyranny. Since that time, it is said that the Triforce pieces were passed on, though the manner by which each new bearer of the Triforce received their piece was never confirmed._

_Each Triforce piece is said to be a blessing from the Goddesses themselves, granting unique gifts and abilities upon those who bare them. Though not much is known about what abilities Power or Courage are said to grant, numerous old stories claim that the Princess of Destiny and other bearers of Wisdom were granted various gifts from the Goddess Nayru, such as precognition and telepathy, and an increased strength in Magic. This knowledge has survived the ravages of time mainly through the careful record keeping of the Royal Library, as every bearer of Wisdom was apparently of royal descent._

_Though histories and various archeological expeditions have confirmed that the Hero, the Princess, and the Evil King all truly existed, the validity pertaining to the truth behind the Holy Triforce has never been confirmed, nor have the claims that the three each possessed a piece. Likewise, the popular belief that the three are forever reincarnated throughout time during times of strife has never been proven, and likely never will.'_

At the bottom of the paper was a beautifully rendered illustration of the Triforce, drawn with practiced hand, each triangle labeled according to what it was; Power on top, Wisdom on the bottom left, and Courage on the bottom right. And behind each triangle was drawn a likeness of their respective goddess.

On the top was Din. Drawn in such a way to make her seem aflame, Zelda was entranced by her beauty; long red hair held back in a ponytail, with tanned skin and black eyes that held all the majesty of the earth itself. She was garbed in fine clothing of red, and in her hands she clutched an odd looking rod. She seemed… Authoritative, but not cruelly so, as she leaned with one hand against the topmost triangle. Her bearing was regal, and everything about her countenance held Zelda in awe.

Turning to the next goddess, Zelda examined Farore with interest. As though to counteract Din's serious expression, Nayru seemed as though she was having fun. Her body was drawn as though she were dancing, her viridian hair twirling around her in carefree ribbons, her face the very picture of delight. Her smile was dimpled, an artistic addition that Zelda felt was peculiar, but she didn't linger over it. Her clothing was simple and green, in stark contrast to Din's formal attire, as though she hadn't given much thought to what she'd decided to wear. There was something in Farore's freedom that elicited a bizarre sense of longing in Zelda, as though she were missing something… Something she had once had but had since lost…

Shaking her head ruefully, Zelda turned to the last face. Nayru.

Nayru was the very image of serenity. Her hair was a dark, alluring blue that hung down her back in waves, held back by a band of silver that seemed to be made from the very stars themselves. Her skin was pale, more so than Farore, like moonlight, and her dress was an elegant navy. Where Din was prominence and Farore was free, Nayru seemed almost tranquil. In her hands she cradled an ornate harp, and she stood leaning slightly against the image of the Triforce, her fingers frozen in a plucking motion. And her eyes… Dark sapphires that stared back at Zelda, full of knowing and an unsettling familiarity…

Slowly, Zelda raised her right hand and compared her mark to this detailed illustration. She could definitely tell now, the bottom left triangle was glowing… almost as if it was confirming to her what she had begun suspecting since reading the paper...

She looked back at the picture, towards the bottom left triangle. Wisdom, it was labeled in beautiful calligraphy. And there, leaning up against it, stood Nayru, gazing back at Zelda, a small smile on her face.

_Bearers of Wisdom were granted various gifts from the Goddess Nayru, such as precognition…_

Was that what this was then? The voice she'd been hearing in her head, the visions she'd received? Precognition? A gift from the Triforce of Wisdom… No, from Nayru. The Goddess.

Every facet of her being told herself to reject the idea; it was impossible, crazy even, to assume that the voice she'd been hearing was anything other than insanity. But then… The shape on her hand… and the visions…

Raising an unsteady hand, she gently caressed the mark with trembling fingers as she called out nervously in her mind, _…Nayru?_

_Hurry, daughter._

Zelda jumped about a foot in the air from sheer shock, her heart racing in fear. She had answered…? She had answered! Nayru was real! She wasn't crazy!

Excitement and nervousness coursing through her in equal parts, Zelda quickly formulated a plea in her mind. _Nayru, please, what do I do? I don't know how I'm supposed to save the police men! Please, help me!_

_Be at peace, my daughter._ The voice said softly, though with enough energy to make Zelda's very frame shiver. _A way has been prepared for you…_

An inexplicable feeling of warmth washed over Zelda, washing away her weariness and pain like the soothing tide of the sea. Her head stopped throbbing. She felt her limbs cease shaking with fatigue. Her legs regained strength. And best of all, her side stopped aching. Taking a deep breath, she was amazed to realize that she no longer felt as though she'd broken something. Her cheek still stung, though not nearly as bad as before.

As if bidden, Zelda's eyes slowly moved until they landed on the overturned drawer. Slowly leaning down, Zelda extended a shaky hand and grasped the edge of the cool black metal, lifting it up. Beneath it sat a hodge-podge collection of papers, staples, pens, markers, a half-empty box of Tic-Tacs, and…

Zelda felt her breath catch. There, situated between an eraser and a bottle of white out, sat a black cell phone. Fingers trembling, she plucked it off the ground and held it up so she could see it more clearly. The entire back of the phone had been bedazzled with blue and silver plastic gemstones, with a pink heart adorning the center. Turning it over, she could see it was one of those sleek touch-screen phones; the kind she'd always wanted, but had been given ancient clunky ones by her father instead.

Half in awe, half wondering what self respecting man would carry around a bedazzled phone, Zelda slid her thumb across the bar that read 'unlock' and was met with the picture of a pretty cheerleader hugging who she could only assume was the girl's boyfriend, who was decked out in a football uniform. On the bottom of the screen, next to the clock, were the words 'Ruto and Darunia 4evr'.

Zelda felt herself breaking into an enormous grin. The phone belonged to a cheerleader, probably one of Mr. Aur-whoever's students. He must have confiscated it earlier in the day, before the attacks began. It had been in that drawer this whole time.

_Hurry, daughter._ Nayru whispered again, though this time there was a definite note of amusement in her voice.

Electricity coursed through Zelda's veins, and she launched herself from her seat towards Collin and Ralph, who were still talking in the corner.

As she neared them, she thought she heard Ralph say something like, "Once I give my speech to the news crew, I'll be sure to mention you and Zelda's contributions to my heroic effort-" before she 'accidently' kicked the telescope he was leaning against, sending the boy tumbling to the floor.

"Oops." She said, smiling sweetly at the flustered red head.

"Zelda?" Collin asked, quirking an eyebrow at her. "Are you sure you should be standing? You really need-"

"Look!" She exclaimed, cutting him off and holding the phone up to his face.

She watched his expression jump between confusion to surprise to delight in a matter of seconds. Gaping at her in shock, he managed to stutter, "W-Where did you get this?"

"In Mr. Aur-whatevers desk!" She said eagerly, deciding once again not to tell him about hearing Nayru's voice in her head.

"You mean Mr. Auru?" He asked, perplexed.

"Whatever." she said, waving it off with her free hand, noticing for the first time she was still holding the page of notes with the illustration.

"What's that?" he asked curiously, but Zelda quickly folded it up and shoved it in her back pocket.

"Nothing, nothing. Anyway, I found the phone in one of the drawers. He must have confiscated it earlier this morning before the attacks started, which is why nobody took it. You realize what this means, don't you?"

"No." Ralph said, having finally gotten back to his feet, looking a little miffed. "Would someone kindly explain to me what's going on here?"

"No time, Ralphy." Collin said, borrowing Veran's nickname. "I have a very important phone call to make."

"Well what am I supposed to do then?" he exclaimed irately, scowling at Collin.

"How about… you and the others tie up Veran. That needs to be done before we leave, else she might wake up and warn Ganondorf that we broke free. Also, give me the gun."

"W-What? Why do you get to carry the gun?" Ralph spluttered incredulously. "As the leader of this group, I think I-"

"I'm the only one with training in fire arms." Collin said flatly, giving Ralph a no-nonsense look. "My father is the Chief of Police. Now, get the gun, and get the others to help you tie up Veran."

When Ralph continued to sulk, Zelda added an extra "Hurry!" to Collin's words, and he stomped off, looking bitter.

Collin flashed her a brief smile. "We did it!"

"Not yet." Zelda said, folding her arms. "Not until you make the call."

"Dialing now." he replied. A second later he held the phone up to his ear, biting his lip.

"Nervous?" Zelda asked, and he gave a half-hearted chuckle.

"A bit… This conversation is going to be painful… I just hope we're not too late."

"We're not." Zelda said, certain that Nayru would have informed her otherwise.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because," she replied softly, "we just can't be."

* * *

"I don't think this is a good idea, Chief…"

"Your concern is touching, Officer Error, but my decision is final."

"But sir… We haven't explored all of our options yet… We still have the snipers-"

"And what would you have me tell them?" Rusl snapped, losing his patience as he rounded on the portly, bearded man. To his side, Dobson grunted sourly as the strap he'd been attempting to tighten on Rusl's bullet proof vest was tugged out of his hands. "Would you have me order them to take out any student who looks like a bad guy? Or did you think Ganondorf had his posse dress up in matching uniforms? There is virtually no way for our snipers to differentiate between the attackers and the hostages, not when all of the students are bunched up together like animals in cages, and the last thing we need is for an officer to accidentally kill an innocent victim."

Error stiffened, but held his ground. Softly, he said, "I just don't understand why it needs to be you leading the charge, sir."

Rusl kept his face impassive without any effort. "Now is not a time for you to be questioning my orders, officer."

Nodding curtly, Error turned and strode away, looking furious. Behind him, Dobson sighed.

"He's got a point, Rusl."

"Not you, too." Rusl groaned, stepping away and examining his gear. The vest was tight and surprisingly heavy, but despite its girth he didn't feel any more protected than if he went without it. He had solid Kevlar greaves secured around the front of his legs, secured with Velcro straps, and on his hands and feet he had thick black leather gloves and boots on. Taking the black helmet from off of the van they were standing beside, he quickly placed it on his head, securing the heavy straps under his chin. For a moment, he felt rather like a horse jockey.

"All I'm saying is, there are other people who could be leading the mission." Dobson muttered, handing Rusl a rifle. Unlike everything else he had on, this piece of police issue outfitting didn't come with the word S.W.A.T. stamped across it's face.

"You know why I have to do this." Rusl said, and Dobson sighed.

"You mean the reason you're telling people, or the actual reason?"

Rusl gave him a flat look. "What makes you think the reason I'm telling people isn't the real reason?"

"Because claiming that if you don't personally oversee the search and rescue mission the media will have a hay-day and we'll lose all of our federal funding isn't a reason at all, and it's completely untrue anyway."

Rusl frowned, his mustache tickling his bottom lip. "Oh really? So then what is my reasoning, officer Dobson? Please, fill me in."

The slightly taller man fixed Rusl with a stern look. "You're going in to find your son."

Rusl opened his mouth to argue, but Dobson overrode him. "Look, I know what you're going to say; as the Chief of Police, you can't afford to show favoritism and all that jazz, but nobody here is buying it. Honestly, Chief, we don't expect differently from you. In fact, if you _did_ act that way, the men would all likely lose faith in you as a leader."

He blinked in surprise, unsure of what to say. Dobson continued on. "And as for the media, it's because your son is in there too that they, and all the other families who are worried for their children and are watching the situation from home, can trust that you're doing all you can to rescue them. They're sympathetic, Rusl. And so are we. Don't be afraid to put your trust in us. We won't let you down."

Swallowing back an unexpected lump in his throat, Rusl nodded and took a deep steadying breath.

"I know I can trust you men, Dobson. I've never doubted that for a second. However… I can't make myself allow another man to take charge of this mission. That's my son in there. I can't leave him behind, and if I'm fired for it, then so be it."

Turning around stiffly, Rusl ignored the fact that he'd just proved Dobson right and took a few steps toward the clearing near the baseball diamond that he'd asked the other S.W.A.T. team members to meet him in.

"Chief!" Dobson called quickly from behind him.

Turning quickly, annoyed, half expecting another lecture, he was surprised when he saw the glint of gold flickering through the air towards him. Reaching out and catching it deftly in his free hand, Rusl examined it with surprise. It was his badge. He had left it on his jacket when he changed.

Giving a thankful nod to Dobson who returned it with a reassuring grin, Rusl set off once again, crossing through clusters of vehicles and police tape without really seeing them.

After meeting his son's friends and the teachers escaping from the gym in the run away school bus, and after seeing the two boys who'd lost their lives in the attack, Rusl had come to a conclusion; one he should have made hours ago. It was time to go in. It was time to save the hostages… to save Collin.

Curse him for listening to protocol and trying to negotiate with Ganondorf… Madmen can't be reasoned with. The longer they waited to finally take him out, the higher the body count would rise. The number of casualties they'd received thus far was highly subject to change, but he could tell there would be at least twenty or thirty names on that list. Today had been a disaster of epic proportions, a massacre unlike any he'd ever experienced in all his years of service… and it had happened to their children.

He'd spoken to Uli no more than twenty minutes ago just before giving the order to get ready to breach the school and hunt down the shooters. She had sounded better than the last time he'd spoken to her; Granny Hero was there to comfort her, and for that he would be forever thankful. It had been painful to tell her that there was still no news on Collin, but nothing could compare to the pain of passing on the news about Aryll. Uli had burst into tears again upon hearing that Ganondorf had abducted her for reasons unknown, and she was forced to hand the phone over to Granny Hero who demanded numerous explanations that Rusl simply didn't have.

Hanging up had been torturous, and he'd assured them numerous times that he'd call as soon as he received any new information. He'd neglected to mention that he was leading an assault of the building. He didn't want to get their hopes up that the situation would be ended any time soon, and he didn't want Uli to know he was putting himself in danger. They were out of decisions, however, and the time for decisive action had come. He wasn't about to back out.

These kids were his responsibility. He _was_ going to save them. Save them, or die trying.

The sudden vibration in his pants pocket startled him. Ripping off a glove, he hurriedly fished the small electronic device out of his pocket, examining the caller ID critically, half expecting it to be Uli or Granny Hero or some other concerned parent.

Unknown caller… Ignoring it, he shoved it back into his pocket and trudged on.

Arriving at the baseball diamond, Rusl examined the men assigned to this mission critically.

They were all garbed as he was, though they each wore dark S.W.A.T. jackets under their vests, whereas he had on a simple light blue button down shirt. At least he'd removed his tie. A number of them also carried riot shields with bullet-proof glass, night sticks and tear gas strapped to their belts.

As he stepped on to home plate, the men immediately snapped to attention, forming four neat rows of five. Twenty men… twenty-one, including him, to take on an unknown amount of foes… True, his unit had the advantage of training and superior equipment, but Ganondorf and his allies were students. Children. It would be difficult to fight back if it turned into a shoot-out, knowing this. Plus, he had hostages. No, this would not be easy…

"Men," Rusl began, then halted as his phone started vibrating again. Deciding to ignore it, he pressed on. "Men, we are about to embark on what might be the deadliest mission you'll ever face."

Many of the men gave him disbelieving looks, but Rusl shook his head. "Don't underestimate them. We have superior training, but they have something over us; they have no conscience. Have any of you ever had to stare down the barrel of your gun, aim it at a kid, and pull the trigger? Have any of you ever been expected to take the life of a minor? It is not easy, men. They do not have to operate under this same compunction. They will kill you without hesitation."

The men looked suitably chastised. He could see on their faces that they were second guessing the mission as numerous emotions flickered across their faces. "Do not forget, however, that there are innocent students in there. Innocent minors who are being slaughtered without mercy. Our very own sons and daughters lives are at stake here," his voice faltered for a moment over the word son, but he pressed on. "So don't hold back. Wait, watch, pay close attention to the situation at hand and do not shoot if they are not shooting back or if a hostage could be harmed, but do not be afraid to do what needs to be done either. We aim to apprehend and detain if we can, but kill if we must. Nothing is more important today than the lives of those students.

"We enter through the kitchens. We will spread out, securing the bottom floor before moving up to the second then third floors. We have no way of knowing where Ganondorf or the hostages are being held. Keep your eyes peeled, and don't venture off alone. And remember, be prepared for anything. That is all. Move out."

As one, the men replied with a "Sir!" before turning and heading off toward the kitchen. Pulling the Walkie off of his belt, Rusl held it up and said, in a commanding voice, "Smith team is a go. I repeat, Smith team is a go. Make sure we have a stable perimeter on all sides of the school, and watch all the exits for any escaping students, be they hostages or assailants."

With a crackle of static, he heard a voice answer his message, and as one he and his men moved out.

With a loud beep, the phone in his pocket announced it had a text message. Grumbling, Rusl pulled it out, determined to silence it so it didn't give him away when they infiltrated the kitchen.

Flipping the phone open to hit the off button, he froze in shock as his eyes landed on the first word of the message: Dad.

Quickly opening it, his heart thudding painfully in his chest, he scanned the message frantically. 'Dad, answer the phone, it's an emergency'

Almost as though it had been waiting for him to read the message, the phone went off again, buzzing silently in his hand as the unknown caller message appeared again on the screen.

"Sir?"

Rusl glanced up, stupefied, at the face of one of the S.W.A.T. men who was staring at him in confusion.

"Sir, we're ready to move in. We're just waiting for you."

Rusl blinked, drinking in his words, then turned to look back at the phone. He wanted to speak to his son more than anything, but… there were more students than him whose life was at stake… The message replayed again in his head. _An emergency…_

Before he realized what he was doing, he pressed the send button, answering the phone.

"Hello…?" He said tentatively, hardly daring to believe that his son was actually on the other end of the line.

The S.W.A.T. man gave him a dumbfounded look. "Sir, we don't have time for-"

Rusl held up a hand, silencing him as another voice sounded out, loud and clear over the line: "Dad?"

"Collin!" Rusl gasped, clinging to the phone like a drowning man, turning away from the questioning look of the other man. "Collin! Where are you? Are you alright? Are you hurt? What's going on right now? Can you tell me-"

"Dad!" Collin called, cutting him off mid-sentence. "Dad, calm down and listen to me! This is very important: Don't go in through the kitchen."

Rusl froze, his mind still whirling frantically. "Wait, what? How did you know…?"

"It's not important!" Collin said hurriedly, "Just don't do it! Ganondorf, he… he's been listening in on your police scanners, he knows everything that's going on and he knows you're going to infiltrate the school through the kitchen, so he's got a trap set up!"

"How does Ganondorf know the frequency of our police scanners?" Rusl demanded as dread flowed through him. If he had that kind of access, then he knew everything the police was up to… He'd be able to counter every plan they made to liberate the captured students. He'd never be able to save Collin…

"I…" Collin said, then the line went fuzzy for a moment and he heard muffled voices on the other end of the line.

"Collin? Who's there with you?" He asked, wondering about the students he'd been hearing about all day; Link, Aryll, Kafei, and Sheik… Were they with Collin as well?

"Just… Just people, other students like me. Dad, listen, I'll explain about the scanners later. Right now, you need to call off the strike before your men are killed."

"Collin, I don't exactly have a choice here. The time for decisive action has come, I need to get you and your friends out of there before any more of you are killed by that maniac!"

There was another pause, then suddenly a different voice came over the line. The voice belonged to a young girl, likely a classmate of Collin's. She sounded exhausted, but something in her voice suggested cool composure, the kind that Collin and Rusl clearly didn't posses in the heat of the moment, and he envied her for it.

"Mr. Smith, please, listen to us. You can't let those men go in through the kitchen. Ganondorf's henchmen have a trap set up for you in the cafeteria. If you go in there, you'll die."

Something in her tone suggested she was speaking about him specifically, not just his men… but that was ridiculous. How could she know that he was planning to lead the assault? He hadn't mentioned it. Not even Collin knew that. Still… her pronouncement made him uneasy.

"Well, young lady-"

"Zelda." she cut in, correcting him.

"Right, Zelda- I can't just _not_ come in. I need to end this situation once and for all. I can't allow any more students to die."

There was a pause, during which he could have swore she muttered something to Nayru about the pigheadedness of men before she asked, "Can't you just… come in another way?"

Rusl blinked as he considered her question. "Well… We could, but there are men positioned in the windows on the second floor who shoot at anyone who nears the building. We'd be shot to pieces before we arrived."

"No." she said, sounding oddly distant. "Ganondorf has called most of his men downstairs to wait for you and your men. There aren't anymore sentries upstairs, other than one person in each of the five rooms still full of hostages. Your path would be clear."

Rusl was stunned. How had she gained such information? How did she know Ganondorf's plans, the very orders he'd given, the number of rooms containing hostages and how many guards they had? And how in the name of Farore did she know he was going to lead the charge?

"Mr. Smith?" Zelda asked, and he shook his head quickly in an attempt to clear his thoughts.

"Yes yes, I'm here." He sighed, reaching up to run a hand through his hair before remembering he was wearing a helmet. "Are you sure about this? All of your information is accurate?"

"Everything that I've told you is true." She said, sounding confidante. "I don't know where the rooms are, or where exactly Ganondorf is, but I know that much."

Rusl nodded, making a quick decision in his head. "Then I'll trust your word. You and Collin stay where you are; I'm going to lead the men in through the gym. The door there is still intact and it's the only entrance I know of other than the kitchen. Do I have your word that you two will stay put?"

"Yes, sir!" the girl replied, sounding relieved.

Rusl smiled. "Can you put my son back on?"

"Sure!"

There was a pause, during which a male voice whined "Do I not get a chance to speak with the man?", then Collin's voice returned.

"Dad?"

"Collin, are you alright?"

"Yeah dad, I'm fine." He said, sighing heavily.

"Good. And Aryll? Do you know where she is?"

There was a long pause, during which he heard Collin swallow several times and his breathing increase. "No." he finally croaked, sounding distraught.

Rusl felt his heart go out to his son. "Listen, don't worry. We're going to find her, and you, and get you all out of there safely. Just stay where you are, you hear me?"

"Yes sir."

"Good." Rusl hesitated, then added, "I love you, Collin."

"I… I love you too, dad."

With a click, the line went dead, and Rusl let out a heavy sigh.

"…sir?"

With a jolt, Rusl remembered the other man. "Sir, I couldn't help but overhear. Are we changing plans?"

"Yes." Rusl said, slipping his phone into his pocket, suddenly all business. "Go on foot and tell the other men to rendezvous outside of the Gym, we'll be entering through there. And don't use your walkie; we've been compromised."

The man looked flabbergasted, then nodded, hurrying off towards the men. Rusl pulled his phone back out then stared at it, considering. Who to call… Uli and Granny would want to hear about Collin, but… He had a job to do. He would call them once Collin was safe.

Dialing Dobson's number to tell him to spread the word about the radio transmissions, he faced the school once again.

_Soon, Collin._ He thought, his face impassive. _Soon…_

_

* * *

_

_So... ok. _

_I originally meant for this to be my epic chapter that I've been promising. However, about halfway through production, I had to get my hard-drive wiped on my beloved Lappy, and all info regarding this and my other one-shots that were in production was erased. Sniff... it was truly a horrifying day..._

THEN! _I finally get back to writing, and wouldn't you know? It just wouldn't stop. I felt like Robert Jordan, who originally meant for 6 books and ended up with 15... Let's just hope I don't die before this is finished. Anyway, I had to cut the chapter in half, because it was just getting too long... This part alone took up 36 pages on Word. Crazy, right? _

_In any event, there may or may not be one more chapter added to the 16 that I promised you... It all depends on how good I am at condensing, and whether or not I feel like combining the second half of this chapter with what's supposed to happen at the climax of the story. I probably won't want to do that, so we may be looking at 17 chapters... I'm sorry, guys. Please don't hate me. I'm really trying to end this, but... I had to add Ralph, ok? I've been wanting to do that since chapter 2, I just didn't have anywhere to do it! So when I did it here, I only meant for it to be a cameo, and then it got carried away, and... _

_Meh. I'll stop complaining. Here's the chapter, hope you liked it, drop me a review. And many thanks to my previous reviewers, especially the ones who hated on my last chapter: It was awful, I know, and I apologize for that. I'll get around to fixing it, I promise. _

_Aight ladies and gents. Keep it Zesty. _

_ZC  
_


	15. Power Play

_So..._

_Yeah. Ok. This is Chapter 15. In a perfect world, this would have been the end of the story. However, due to many technical issues, I had to extend the story another chapter, and then another..._

_Basically, I'm here to tell you that yes: I will have to extend it one more chapter, bringing the total to 18. But that will be it! I promise!_

_See, this chapter was originally supossed to be part of the last chapter. But the last chapter went too long, so I cut it in half... And now I had to cut the half of the other half in half... if that makes sense. This chapter went too long as well. So there will be one more normal chapter, the climax, then the epilogue. Ok? Good. Great. _

_Sorry for the long intro. Read on. _

* * *

**Chapter 15**

**Power Play**

Ganondorf stood, impassive and brooding, on the second floor balcony that overlooked the cafeteria. In front of him, across the empty expanse of air, he could see the windows that peered out to the outside balcony; a feature that was once a senior privilege, and that now was locked indefinitely. These were the only windows in the fortress-like school that weren't barred, presumably because they were a good twenty feet off the ground. Outside, through the windows, Ganondorf could see the clouds were breaking up, letting in pale beams of sunlight that illuminated the countless particles of dust that swirled in invisible eddies of air.

He smirked. Dust… forever floating in this vast nothingness. Unaware of the much larger world that lay around it. Much like the fools in this school…

Reaching out, he seized the metal railing in front of him in either hand, enjoying the cold sensation against his large, calloused hands. The Triforce piece on his hand was nearly complete, and even now stood out in sharp relief against his dark skin. Just like humans compared to dust, as soon as he seized the Triforce of Power for his own, his own power would be countlessly multiplied… Then, there would only be him… all others would be as dust, swirling pointlessly before him, completely subjected to his will, unable to do anything to oppose him…

It was a masterstroke, deciding to attack a High School and not the state capital or a collection of government officials. After all, what was another terrorist attack to the mindless population of Hyrule? The war with Labrynna had certainly desensitized the populace to the horrors of war. Attacking their officials would certainly seize attention, but not the kind that he needed; they would be shocked, horrified, but not emotionally invested… They would see him as a threat, but they wouldn't fear his power, and it was that, more than anything else, that he needed.

No, if he wanted to seize the hearts of the Hyrulians, he needed to do something truly worthy of attention; he needed to attack their children. Then they would fear him and his strength, because it was directed at them and their families, something they could tangibly grasp, not some faceless government official.

Of course, there was more to seizing power than just being recognized as being powerful… perhaps more important than anything else, he needed to destroy his enemies. All those who had wronged him, all those who could threaten his position before he could seize it. He had already taken his first steps: his parents had been killed, of course, as they were the first ones to have ever done him any harm. Agahnim naturally had to be killed, and he had made certain to do it before today's events began. Foolish man... Mindlessly dreaming a power that he could not even begin to fathom…

Which only left one person. Link Hero.

He would meet his end soon, however. Him and everyone in this school who he cared about. And then, once Hero had finally been removed from the picture…

A slight disturbance behind him drew his attention. From the door behind him that lead to the hallway emerged a girl who quickly went on one knee, keeping her face downcast. Her hair was a vivid shade of red, held back in a ponytail, and she wore baggy black clothing. For whatever reason, half of his underlings had decided to dress themselves entirely in black for today's ventures, a fact that brought him no end of amusement.

"Ganondorf, Sir. You asked me to report in when we apprehended the mole and his girlfriend…"

"Ah, yes." Ganondorf said, a cruel smile splitting his face. "You've apprehended them both, then? Bring them up to the Principal's office to wait my pleasure with the girl's brother."

With Link, Aryll, and Collin already detained, all he need do was find Sheik and Midna and he'd be ready to-

"Ah, w-well, th-there's been a slight problem…" the girl stammered, and Ganondorf stiffened.

"What sort of problem?" he asked quietly, his voice hard as steel.

The girl swallowed roughly, trembling. "S-Sir, Collin and the girl… They… They never showed up…"

"I see…" Ganondorf replied quietly, taking his hands off of the bar and folding them in front of him as he turned to face her. "Have you any news on the whereabouts of Sheik and Midna?"

If the girl was trembling before, she was quaking now. "S-Sheik and M-Midna are nowhere to b-be found, sir…"

Rage seared through him, boiling the blood in his veins, but he kept his outward composure. Sheik and Midna… And Collin and Aryll, for that matter… He had a large number of students walking free. They needed to be apprehended and detained as soon as possible. He would make that a priority once Smith and his men were put down. As for the girl…

"I see." Ganondorf said, his voice flat and emotionless. "What is your name, girl?'

"A-Aveil, sir." The girl replied quickly.

"Well, Aveil, you should consider yourself lucky. I'm about to give you a great honor."

"S-Sir?" She asked, disbelief evident in her tone as she finally turned her face up to meet his. She still looked frightened, but hopeful at the same time. Her eyes were a brilliant shade of green.

"Yes. You get to get killed by yours truly."

Before Aveil had time to react, he drew a knife from the inner folds of his overcoat and, with a precise flick of his wrist, sent it slicing into the girl's throat. Her cry of alarm quickly turned into a gurgle and she fell to the side, shock written clearly on her face as her viridian eyes clouded, blood pooling on the floor.

Kneeling grimly, he yanked the knife back out, wiping the blade clean on her shirt and concealing it back in his jacket. Perhaps wearing black was a good choice, he mused as he stood back up and turned once again to survey the cafeteria. It hid the blood well.

From somewhere below him, he smiled cruelly as he heard the distant sounds of gunfire start up. The invasion had finally begun. Soon, Rusl Smith would be dead; foolish man, leading the charge himself. His concern for his son was blinding him, clouding his judgment. Only fools allowed their emotions to rule them. Yes, Smith would soon meet his demise, and before long, he'd be back upstairs, killing Link Hero and his friends… And the Triforce of Power would at long last be his…

Something suddenly occurred to him. If he was hearing gunfire… why did it sound so far away? The doors to the kitchen were directly below him, just out of his line of sight. Surely the sounds should be louder that that. By all rights, the police should have advanced into the Cafeteria by now… He'd only placed a few men in the kitchens so that the police would make it to the Cafeteria before meeting their end; he had wanted to witness it personally.

However… the sounds were too far distant. And they were coming from… his right? And growing closer?

Before he had time to consider further, a swarm of his men burst into the cafeteria like water from a hose from a hallway to the right where they'd been laying in wait. With a deafening roar of stampeding footsteps, bellows of fear and anger, and gunfire, his men fled as though the Goddesses themselves were after them; some yelling, some firing blindly behind them as they ran. Everywhere, his servants were dropping to the floor, screaming in agony, some clutching legs or arms, others not moving at all. As the survivors scattered in every direction, a handful attempted to run up the stairs that led to the balcony he was standing on. The sound of gunfire and shouts could be heard everywhere, echoing off the walls, the retreating footsteps of his men lost in the din.

From below, the police emerged, all garbed in black bullet-proof material, some sporting rifles, others using riot shields and handguns. As they spread out, seeking the boys who had run off down the halls, he heard the sounds of battle continue on down the halls. A handful of men stayed in the cafeteria and began returning fire upon the boys who were running up the stairs. They tried to fight back, but it was in vain. One by one they dropped, the last one's body flipping over the railing and plummeting ten feet to the tiled floor below.

Hatred coursed through Ganondorf, seeping through his veins and turning his vision red. He'd been betrayed. Someone had tipped off the police to their trap, and the police had used his plans against him. But who? None of his men would have…

Suddenly, he remembered what the girl, Aveil, had told him. Collin had never showed up in the kitchen. Snarling, he dug through his pockets furiously, searching for his gun. He knew he shouldn't have let him go! And now, that wretched boy was going to be his undoing!

One of the men below finally noticed Ganondorf standing on the balcony. Before he could alert the others, Ganondorf deftly drew his gun and fired once, catching the man directly in the forehead. Even as he dropped, the other men turned as one and began firing in his direction, bullets pinging off the black metal, kicking up sparks. Gritting his teeth, Ganondorf turned and retreated down the hallway, mentally cursing his foolish pride. His plans were ruined… He was never going to seize Power if the police stopped him before…

But wait…

Ganondorf slowed his pace to a brisk walk, a slow smile growing on his face. So what if the police killed all of his men and saved the students? All he had left to do was kill his last enemy, Link Hero… and he was still in custody up on the third floor…

Grinning in triumph, Ganondorf turned and began striding down the hallway, his gun clutched tightly in his hand. He just needed to kill Hero, and then… Power would be his… and he would personally make sure ever last person in this school was killed.

* * *

"You got it yet?"

"Almost… There…"

"Well hurry it up a little, we don't-"

"Link!" Kafei finally burst out, aggravated, and Link winced sheepishly.

"Er… sorry. Just… keep doing what you're doing."

Rolling his eyes half in amusement, half in frustration, Kafei stuck his tongue out of the corner of his mouth and returned his focus to the bent paperclip he'd inserted into the locking mechanism of the doorknob.

Link withheld an impatient sigh and resigned himself to fidgeting nervously, straining his ears to hear the sounds of anyone approaching their makeshift jail cell. That loud, obnoxious, paranoid voice in his head was telling him that something was going to go wrong, that they were going to be discovered, that as soon as they opened the door they'd be discovered and killed on the spot…

Still, Kafei had a point when he'd suggested it after a few fitful moments of brainstorming; they didn't really have a lot of options. And his little sister needed his help. He couldn't afford to denounce what could be the only chance they have simply because he was afraid… or because it seemed so obviously flawed… or because certain death seemed to be the only outcome… or because-

There was a soft click from within the doorknob.

"Got it!" Kafei said triumphantly, turning the handle to demonstrate.

Link's eyebrows rose. "Wow." he said, chuckling slightly to hide his nerves. "Honestly, I didn't think you'd be able to do it. I'm both impressed… and concerned. What do you do with your free time, Kafei?"

The purple-haired boy smirked mischievously. "Wouldn't you like to know? Now, enough fooling around. Let's go find your sister."

Nodding tersely, and attempting to swallow back the lump that had formed in his throat, Link hefted the only weapon he could find in the narrow closet- a stapler- and motioned for him to proceed.

With his fingers, Kafei silently counted down to three, then as quietly as possible pulled the door open, peering out into the small hall through the crack.

After a moment, he nodded to Link then slipped out of the door on all-fours. Link followed him deftly. Creeping forward slowly, ignoring the prickly fibers of the cheap carpet that were poking in to his palms, he followed closely behind Kafei, their breathing shallow yet raged as they silently prayed that their guards wouldn't hear them.

As they neared the front area of the main office, Kafei paused by the corner and signaled to Link that he was going to attempt to survey the room. Link nodded, scooting backward slightly to give him room to back up if needed. The once-cold metal of the stapler was now warm in his sweaty grip, and he tried his best to fend off the image that kept popping up in his mind of him fighting a man armed with a gun using nothing but a stapler. He was doomed…

Kafei slowly leaned forward, peering around the corner, and Link held his breath, waiting for the cry of alarm of the bang of gunfire. To his immense relief, he didn't hear a sound other than the soft hum of the air conditioner; immediately, his thoughts turned to Shad and Ashei. How were they? Had they gotten out safely when he'd turned back to find his sister? They were probably at home with their families, watching the news, waiting to hear the report that one Link Hero had been found dead in the main office because he'd tried to fight off the attackers with an office tool…

Suddenly, without warning, Kafei let out a loud snort that echoed throughout the silent room and got to his feet, walking right out into the middle of the office.

Link nearly had a conniption. He opened his mouth to scream 'What are you doing?' at the boy before remembering that he was supposed to be silent. Instead he resorted to a serious of furious hand gestures.

Kafei, noticing his antics, chuckled and said, "It's alright, Link. There's no one here."

Halting his mimed tirade and blinking in surprise, Link slowly climbed to his feet and hesitantly strode forward to join Kafei. He was right; the room was completely devoid of life besides him and Kafei. Raising an eyebrow, he sent Kafei a questioning look, but the boy merely shrugged, a pensive frown on his face.

Pursing his lips in thought, Link paced the length of the room. He knew for a fact that there had been men in here earlier, and the signs of their existence were everywhere; empty chip bags, upset couch cushions, broken picture frames. The smashed vending machines he could see through the window in the break room were proof enough, but even that room was empty.

Something was wrong. Why would they leave them alone? That didn't make any sense… They wouldn't go through the trouble of capturing them only to leave them unguarded and practically allow them waltz on out.

Opening his mouth to ask Kafei's opinion, he was cut off abruptly by the echoing sound of gunfire coming from somewhere down below. Meeting Kafei's surprised look, the two boys rushed to the door, cracking it open and peering down the short hallway to the stairwell. The sound was clearer now that the door was open, and it registered in Link's mind that this wasn't one gun, but numerous guns all firing at once. It was like the Hyrule Civil War Reenactment Committee had decided to stage their fake-battle downstairs somewhere.

"What do you think that is?" Kafei whispered, looking worried.

"I don't know…" He said slowly, his mind whirling. "You… You don't think it could be the police, do you? Maybe they finally managed to break in and are fighting off Ganondorf and his cronies. That would explain why no one's up here."

Stepping back from the door, Kafei folded his arms, looking pensive. "It's possible…" he said slowly, frowning. "But it's better to not get our hopes up. It's just as likely that Ganondorf has finally decided to kill off the rest of the students, and what we're hearing now is the sounds of a mass slaughter."

Link grimaced, trying not to picture that all too likely reality. "There's no way to know for sure, but I'd rather not be caught up here if anyone comes back. Especially not with only this for protection." He held aloft his stapler, waving it dully in the air.

Kafei grinned. "Well, I for one think that's a mighty weapon-"

"Shut up. So what's our move?"

He shrugged, chuckling lightly. "Staying here isn't a good idea. I guess we could always try to sneak a peak at what the commotion is downstairs. If it's the police, then join them. If it's Ganondorf… Well, then we need to stop him somehow."

Link held up his stapler again. "With this? I don't know that that's such a good idea, Kaf."

"Well… Maybe Grog and the others left some weapons up here. It's worth a shot. Here, I'll check out here, you go look in the other rooms."

Sighing, and worrying whether his sister was caught up in the chaos downstairs, Link found himself agreeing.

Crossing the threshold, he ducked back into the short hallway they'd come from and opened the first door on the right. The break room. Smashed vending machines, off-white 80's fridge, fake plants, smallish counter with sink and circular table aside, there wasn't much in this room. Closing the door, he moved to the door across the hall.

Vice Principal's office. A window on the wall opposite the door let in narrow shafts of light through the blinds, illuminating a smallish workroom, the main of which was occupied by a heavy wooden desk, upon which sat a small black laptop, numerous piles of paper, a phone, and a nameplate that read the Vice Principals name, Mr. Salvatore, in golden lettering. The walls bore numerous scholastic accolades, but Link didn't pause to look them over.

Walking past another fake potted plant, Link scooted between a chair that sat facing the desk, presumably where students sat, and a large bookshelf that was covered in dust, suggesting it was merely for show. As he rounded the desk to begin riffling through the drawers, he froze as his eyes landed upon the figures that lay behind the desk, and his blood ran cold.

Hidden from view behind the stately office chair and desk lay three unmoving forms, piled half-hazardly against the wall and forgotten. Bile rose in his throat as he recognized the bodies of Principal Sahasralah, Vice Principal Salvatore, and Officer Viscen, the school's resource officer.

Shaking his head and reminding himself he had a sister to save, Link carefully avoided looking at the bodies and began pulling open drawers, shifting aside papers and files as he searched for any stashed firearms. Groaning as he came up with nothing, Link quickly left the room, desperate to put as much distance between himself and the dead men as possible.

The short hallway only held two more doors. One which led to the closet they'd been held in, and the other leading to the Principal's Office; if guns were stashed anywhere, it'd be there.

Treading softly down the hall, hearing the sounds of Kafei's search in the other room and his frustrated sighs as he presumably met with failure, Link slowly extended his left hand, the three golden triangles almost seeming to glow in the dim hallway before he grasped the handle and, taking a deep breath, pushed it open.

The room was just as he remembered from his last visit; dark, silent, and foreboding. The large, circular bloodstain stood out in sharp relief against the lighter blue-green carpet. In the back of his mind, he wondered which of the men in the other room had died there. Probably Sahasralah… This was his office, after all. Ganondorf's desk, and the laptop on it, suddenly caught his attention. Ganondorf had security footage… If Link used it, he'd be able to see what was happening downstairs!

Rushing forward eagerly, Link didn't notice the door closing quietly behind him, or the figure that emerged from behind it.

"I'd stop moving if I were you."

Link froze on the spot, his right leg still hovering in the air, his eyes wide in shock.

"Turn around."

Gritting his teeth, Link slowly obeyed, his heart hammering in his chest, his grip on the stapler both sweaty and painful. There, standing in the corner, was… a boy he did not recognize. His hair was brown and unremarkable, his eyes likewise, his face very, very average. Everything about the boy screamed complete and utter normalcy, from his height to his clothes. In fact, Link thought that if he'd been asked to point the boy out in a crowd, he wouldn't be able to.

"Who… Who are you?" Link asked hoarsely, and the boy grinned.

"Yes, we haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet, have we Mr. Hero? My name is Sakon. I'm one of Lord Ganondorf's most trusted advisors."

Link scowled darkly; so this was Sakon… the boy who had nearly killed Anju, the one who had captured Kafei.

"What do you want?" Link growled roughly, and Sakon chuckled.

"Merely to stop you from escaping." he said simply, shrugging lightly. "Did you honestly think Lord Ganondorf would just leave the two of you unattended?"

Ignoring his comment, to which he knew the obvious answer was 'no', Link scoffed. "Oh yeah? You and what army?" As he spoke, he raised his stapler threateningly. Sakon eyed it with amusement, then pulled a gun from the front of his white sweater's pocket.

"Well… This one, I suppose."

Link blanched. A gun. Of course. And here he was, with only a stapler… He knew this was going to happen. Maybe if he chucked it at him…

"Drop the stapler now, or I blow out your kneecap." Sakon said, apparently reading his ming, his tone suddenly serious. Link blinked in surprise. This guy meant business. Deciding it was better not to press his luck, he let the useless piece of metal drop to the floor where it landed with a loud thunk.

Sakon nodded, then gestured to the doorway. "Come. You go first, and remember I have this trained on you, so no funny business. Let's go collect your little friend and put you two back in your place, hmm?"

Funny, Link mused as he slowly obeyed him, his hands held aloft like he'd seen on TV. He never specified what 'in your place' meant, exactly.

Their trip down the short hallway seemed to last forever. Link's heart was pounding in his chest, his breathing short and shallow, his nerves tingling with suspense, as though they were trying to get as much reaction out as possible before they died. Silently praying to the Goddesses for his sister, he cast his eyes about for some way to escape this situation, or to warn Kafei, but to no avail. There was nothing he could do without getting shot. They were trapped.

As Link rounded the corner slowly, Kafei looked up from his spot on the couch with a grin.

"Hey, looky what I-" he said, holding up a small pistol in his hand before cutting off with a strangled noise when he noticed Sakon.

"Hello again, Kafei." Sakon said pleasantly. "Be a good boy and put down the gun, hmm? We wouldn't want another death on your hands."

Link sent Kafei an apologetic look, but the boy didn't seem to notice. His face underwent a rapid change of colors, from green to white to red to purple, like a sea-sick chameleon, before he let out a bull-like roar of rage and began firing at Sakon.

To his credit, none of the bullets came near Link, but that didn't stop Link from crying out in alarm as the plaster on the wall exploded like confetti, showering him and Sakon in dust. Seizing Link by the back of his collar, Sakon quickly dragged him back into the hallway where they hid behind the wall. Sakon quickly wrapped one arm around Link's throat, holding him in front of him like a human shield. Link, startled, make a choking sound as Sakon's arm restricted his airway and began clawing desperately at the offending appendage, struggling until Sakon hissed "Stop moving or you die!" and Link felt the cold metal of the gun press against his temple.

"Come out!" Kafei roared, enraged. "Come out here and face me like a man! Coward! Or is it that you can you only fight unarmed women?"

Link heard a crash, and could only assume that Kafei had kicked over a chair in his rage.

"Stop!" Sakon called, his elevated voice nearly deafening Link. "Drop the gun or your friend dies!"

Cursing his stupidity for walking into the Principal's office without checking to see if the coast was clear, Link quickly called out, "Forget me! Go save Aryll!"

Sakon cursed and tightened his hold around Link's throat, suffocating him. "Shut up, Hero." He snarled venomously in his ear in a quieter tone. "Or I really will shoot you."

"You're not… going to… kill me." Link gasped, fighting in vain against Sakon's hold. "Ganondorf… needs me… He told me himself."

Snarling, Sakon pushed Link forward until they rounded the corner again. Hiding behind Link, Sakon addressed Kafei again.

"Drop your weapon. Now. Slide it across the floor to me like a good little boy and nobody has to get hurt."

Link shook his head frantically, and Sakon punched him in the face with the hand holding the gun. Luckily, the angle was awkward, and he wasn't able to put much force behind it. Link barely felt it at all.

Looking torn, Kafei darted his gaze quickly between Link and Sakon.

"Link…" He said desperately, his gun lowering slightly. "I-I can't…"

"No!" He said, his voice coming out garbled as Sakon tightened his grip around his throat. His face was getting red, he could feel it, and his vision was starting to get spotty.

"Aryll…" he tried to gasp, but no sound was coming out. Placing both hands on Sakon's arm, he tried to pull his arm off, but his lack of oxygen had sapped his limbs of strength. In the haze that was clouding his mind, the odd mark on the back of his hand seemed to be glowing…

Across from him, he could see Kafei shake his head sadly as he bent down, lowering his gun to the ground and moving as though to slide it across the carpet to Sakon. At the same time, he heard Sakon give a short, sinister chuckle. Pulling the gun away from Link's temple, Sakon turned it on Kafei.

Sudden desperation seized Link as he realized what was happening and he struggled with all of his being to cry out, to warn Kafei, but everything was happening too fast and his brain was too muddled to think clearly…

The bizarre symbol on his hand suddenly burned, surging through him like a wave of pure, golden energy, and without any logical explanation he suddenly knew exactly what he had to do.

With the last of his fading strength, Link reached out with his right hand, seizing Sakon's in mid-motion; however, instead of trying to pull it back, which he never would have been able to do in his oxygen-deprived state, he instead twisted his wrist, turning the gun to the side, throwing off his aim. At the same time, he hooked his leg behind one of Sakon's and jerked it forward, knocking him off balance.

To him, everything seemed to happen in slow motion up until the gun went off. Then reality came crashing down as Sakon's bullet shot passed Kafei, shattering a vase on a side table and imbedding harmless in the wall. At the same time, Sakon tumbled backwards with a grunt of surprise, dragging Link with him.

As the two teens hit the ground, Link's weight drove the air out of Sakon's lungs with a pained 'oof!', and his grip on Link's neck slackened. Taking in one large, grateful gulp of blessed air, Link tightened his grasp on Sakon's hand and, knowing it was their only shot at survival, began repeatedly bashing his wrist against the wall.

Growling, Sakon tried to grab Link by the head with his free appendage and pull him away, but mistakenly put his hand over Link's face. With a feral snarl, Link bit down on Sakon's fingers as hard as he possibly could, making the boy cry out in pain. At the same time, he relinquished his grip on the gun, and with another slam it was sent tumbling through the air where it landed with a thunk several feet away.

Quickly rolling off of his attacker, Link rose to a crouching position just in time to catch Sakon's leg as it moved to kick him, shocking both himself and Sakon. Before he could react, Link twisted his leg around, making the boy arch his back in pain as he struggled to reclaim his tortured appendage.

"Give up!" Link gasped, his breathing ragged from nearly being choked to death and resent exertion.

"Never!" Sakon snarled, and with an unexpected twirl he rolled over, lessening the pressure on his leg as he lashed out with his other one.

Adeptly, Link rolled backwards, out of the way of his kick. Stumbling to his feet, he danced backwards a few feet to give himself room before his back collided with a wall. Turning to the side, he was surprised to find himself in a corner opposite the hallway with nothing but a fake tree in a ceramic pot and a small chair next to a bin full of magazines and educational pamphlets. To his right, he could see Kafei on all fours, crawling forward to retrieve his gun that he'd slid to Sakon; it had somehow ended up next to a recycling bin on his side of the desk. A few feet in front of Link, only a step away from Sakon, lay the gun Link had knocked out of his hand, a foot or so from the wall.

Sakon, who had been struggling to rise to his feet, his breathing torturous and his face livid, suddenly noticed his gun, and with a look of triumph dived towards it.

Link, knowing there was no way he could make it there in time to intercept him, did the only thing he could think of; seizing the fake tree by it's narrow trunk, he took a step forward and swung the surprisingly heavy decoration over his head, dust raining on his face from the leaves, getting into his eyes.

Right as Sakon grabbed the gun with a loud "HA!", Link brought the pot of the tree crashing down on his head with a tremendous crash and the jarring sound of shattering pottery.

The room was suddenly silent. Link stood still, panting heavily, not daring to take his hands off of the tree as he struggled to blink the dust out of his eyes so he could see. When his vision finally cleared, he was gifted with an odd sight; Sakon's body, laid out face first on the ground, his limbs askew. But where his head should be was obscured by a large pile of dirt and fragments of the pot that had once held it. Sakon wasn't moving.

Something sick seemed to coil up from Link's stomach, and he dropped the faux-tree as though burned. Fighting back the urge to vomit, he stumbled forward, jerking the gun out of the boy's unresponsive hand. Walking around the desk to stand next to Kafei, he took several deep breaths and tried to calm himself. Sakon wasn't moving… Din, what if he was dead? What if he had just killed him? Did that make him a murderer? It was in self-defense and everything, but…

"Whoa…" Kafei said softly, his voice breaking the eerie silence that had gripped the room ever since the pot collided with Sakon's skull.

"I know." Link said tersely, swallowing down the lump that had formed in his throat.

"That was…"

"I know." He repeated, in a tone that said quite clearly he didn't want to talk about it. "Let's just go. We need to find my sister and get out of here."

"What if he's still alive?" Kafei asked as he rose to his feet. "We can't let him alert Ganondorf that we've escaped."

Link said nothing. Kafei took a deep breath, then said quietly, "…It has to be done."

It took Link a moment to realize what Kafei was talking about, but when he did he felt revulsion rise inside of him. Kafei had a point, but… He didn't think he'd be able to do it… Glancing at Sakon, he stared at his chest, searching for motion. There was nothing… But still, they couldn't take any chances, not when their lives and the life of his sister was on the line.

Nodding, Link gestured blankly towards the boy's inert form. Striding forward, Kafei pointed his gun at the boy's back.

There was a long moment as Kafei stood stalk-still, his hand quivering slightly as he stared down at Sakon's body, a look of hatred burning in his eyes even as his lips trembled, fighting back a frown.

"…I don't pity you." He whispered savagely, his voice sounding hoarse. "I only regret that you didn't suffer more."

Link closed his eyes and looked away. Two sharp bangs pierced the air, then all was silent once more.

"…Let's go." They both said at the same time, then after giving each other odd looks, started towards the door.

The hall outside seemed oppressively quiet, despite the sounds of gunfire that could still be heard echoing throughout the school. Darting forward, the two boys stopped at the staircase, peering down cautiously around the corner, their guns ready. No one was there. Turning past the door to the roof, they ran down the stairs, taking them three and four at a time.

The image of Sakon's body laying there motionless on the floor was haunting Link. Without pausing to check of the coast was clear, Link barreled down the last flight of stairs out into the hallway in front of the library as quickly as he could, ignoring Kafei's warning voice behind him as he focused on his feet and the stairs beneath him, unable to face the rest of the world.

As it turns out, he should have listened.

With a grunt, Link barreled into someone who had been standing at the foot of the stairs, and together they toppled to the floor. Groaning, Link struggled to push himself upward, his body aching. Today was really, really not his day.

"Link?" came a startled male voice. A very familiar male voice…

His eyes snapping open, Link found himself staring down at his best friend.

"Sheik?" he exclaimed incredulously.

The boy blinked up at him owlishly. "Yeah. I'm happy to see you too, man, but… Could you get your fat butt off of me? I can't breath."

Laughing in spite of himself, Link climbed to his feet, pulling Sheik up with him. "What are you doing here!" he asked, exhilarated.

"We came to get you." he said, shrugging. "You didn't think I was gonna leave you in there, did you?"

"We?" Link asked, confused, and suddenly he realized Link wasn't alone. There were two other people with him, both short and female. One of them suddenly launched themselves at Link, throwing their arms around his neck with a squeal of delight.

"Link! Oh, goddesses, you're ok! After Collin took me away, I thought-"

"Aryll?" he gasped, startled, holding his little sister out at arms length so he could get a better look at her.

"Yes, me! Who else _would_ it be?"

"But…" He stammered, baffled at her presence, "How… When… Collin…?"

"Awfully articulate today, aren't you?" Came a voice from the side.

Tearing his gaze away from his little sister, he was met with a second surprise: Midna.

"Midna!" he exclaimed, pulling her into a bear hug. The impish girl giggled and hugged him back just as tightly.

"It's good to see your not dead." She joked, and Link laughed.

"Well look, a welcoming committee." he heard Kafei joke from over his shoulder, and Aryll gave yet another excited squeal.

"Kafei! You're not dead!"

"You know, it's funny how many people have been saying that today…" Sheik mused, and Midna, pulling away from Link, swatted him on the arm.

"Don't say that! This isn't something to joke about!" She growled, and Sheik winced, looking suitably abashed.

"Right… so… Link, how'd you get out? Kafei help you?"

Sudden memories of Sakon floated up into Link's mind. Before he could answer, Kafei gave a snort and said, "Hardly. I picked the lock, but Link did all the work. After we came out of the closet-"

"Wait, you two came out of the closet? Together?" There was a sudden silence as everyone stared at Aryll. Suddenly, Midna let out a snort of laughter and Sheik his a grin behind his hand.

"Nice one." He said, and Aryll gave him a fist-bump. Link reached over and flicked her on the forehead with a grumpy frown, and she swatted at his hand playfully.

"Anyway…" Kafei continued, looking slightly put-out. "You should have seen him take on Sakon, it was intense! I swear, this guy's like Jason Bourne or something!"

As one, Sheik, Midna, and Aryll turned and gave Link incredulous looks.

"Him?" Midna asked, turning back to Kafei. "_That_ scrawny little-"

"_Hey!_"

"Well it's true." Aryll said, shrugging. "There's no point in denying it. You are pretty pathetic."

"I didn't hear you complaining when I came in to save you earlier!"

"Yeah, because _that_ went over well…"

"That's now what you would have said if you saw him bash Sakon's brains out with-"

"Hey, when'd you get a tattoo?" Sheik cut in, grabbing Link's arm and bringing it up for everyone to see. Link felt suddenly uncomfortable as he remembered the odd surge of energy it had given him during his fight with Sakon. What was that thing? And where did it come from?

"Oh yeah! I noticed that earlier too!"

"Link got a tattoo? How did I not notice this the whole time we were locked up together?"

"Whoa whoa whoa! You went and got a tattoo without me? What the heck!"

"Guys, focus!" Link said irritably, tugging his hand away from the group's perplexed stares. "It's not a tattoo, but that's hardly what's important right now. We need to get out of here, and quick. I don't know what's going on downstairs-"

"Neither do we." Midna cut in, casting a nervous glance towards the adjoining halls as the sounds of gunfire and shouting echoed up from downstairs. "At first we thought it was Ganondorf up to something, but-"

"There are no more students downstairs, yeah." Sheik said, and there was an awkward silence.

"Well… does anyone know of an exit?" Kafei asked, stuffing his gun into the pocket of his odd, large trench coat.

"Two." Sheik said, sighing. "Unfortunately, they're both downstairs. I don't think we can get to them with all of this commotion."

"So… What? Do we just sit here and wait for them to catch up to us?" Link asked, frustrated. Whatever was happening downstairs, he fervently hoped it was the police. Otherwise, he doubted they were ever getting out of here alive.

"No." Sheik replied, squaring his shoulders. "We need to find somewhere to hide until whatever's going on downstairs stops."

Sighing, Link looked at his friends faces, one by one. Sheik, his best friend and enemy-turned-good again. Oddly, he was holding Midna's hand. He decided not to question it right now, but he would definitely rag on him for it later. Then there was Midna herself, his other best friend. She looked worried, but also confident and fierce. He almost pitied any of Ganondorf's henchmen who got in her way. Kafei was the oddball in the group, but his presence felt oddly right now, as though what they'd gone through upstairs had made him a part of the group. And then there was Aryll. His baby sister. Protecting her was his number one goal today, even more important than getting out alive. He _would_ save her. Grandma wouldn't have to live out her life alone.

"Alright then." Link said, stuffing his gun into the waistband of his jeans, missing his trusty green hoodie. "I guess we go hold out in a classroom 'til the fighting dies down and we can make a break for the kitchen."

"Or gym." Midna cut in, and Link nodded.

"Or gym. All agreed?"

When everyone nodded, they set off down the hall behind the stairs, heading to the right, Link massaging the back of his left hand surreptitiously. What was happening to him? Could this really be a piece of the Triforce, like Ganondorf had claimed? And if so… why in the world did it pick him?

* * *

Zelda sat in the corner of the room on Auru's comfy office chair, staring up lamely at the Hyrulian flag that hung just over her head beside the chalk board. She'd drawn her knees up to her chin, pulling Link's soft green hoodie over them for warmth as she waited for the police to make it to them, anxiety eating away at her. As a nervous habit, she kept pushing the sleeve up to examine the marking on her hand before groaning in frustration and tugging the sleeve back down, completely hiding her hand… until she pushed it back up again a moment later.

Even the concept that one of the three Holy Goddesses had decided to impart part of her power to a teenage girl was completely insane to Zelda. But she couldn't deny the voice that she'd heard, nor the visions she'd received. For whatever reason, Nayru had chosen Zelda, and like it or not, she was just going to have to learn to deal with it.

But how was she supposed to hide the mark? Sure, most teenagers didn't know anything about the ancient religions of their country, but there were certainly people around who would, and you could bet that they would recognize the symbol. She might be able to pass it off as a tattoo… though her father would kill her. Maybe she could just wear gloves for the rest of her life. Yeah, that wouldn't be weird at all…

"Whatcha lookin' at?"

Zelda jumped, letting out a terrified squeak as she hurriedly shoved her hand back in her sleeve. At her side, Collin chuckled.

"Relax, it's jut me." he said bemusedly, and Zelda offered a weak smile.

"Ha, yeah, sorry… you just…" her heart was pounding furiously in her chest as she struggled to catch her breath. Had he seen? Would he know what it was? Would he tell people?

"Took you by surprise?" he supplied helpfully.

"Yeah. That." Deciding on the spot that he hadn't noticed, Zelda quickly cleared her throat and regained her composure, trying not to look too relieved. "So… what's up? Did you need something?"

Collin shrugged nonchalantly. "Nah, just wanted to get away from 'Ralphy' for a bit."

Zelda snorted at his use of Veran's pet name. Now that was something she could understand. Despite the moral implications, the dark part of Zelda was beginning to regret saving that boy…

"What's he doing now?"

"Trying to come up with a 'team name' for everybody in the room."

"Wow…"

"Yeah, that's one way to put it." Collin sighed, sitting down of the edge of one of the desks.

They were quiet for a moment as they both regarded Ralph from across the room. He was leaning up against the wall with his arms folded casually across his chest, his odd blue jacket flaring out on either side. For some reason, the girls among the group they'd rescued seemed to think that Ralph had been their savior, and were fawning over him as though he were some sort of hero. Had they not noticed her and Collin? Were they not even paying attention when she busted in and saved his life?

Deep down, Zelda knew that though she _had_ saved Ralph, he'd saved her in return… But that didn't mean she had to like him.

Across the room, she could see Veran's inert form laying on the floor, partially obscured from view by a handful of desks. Ralph and the others had made short work of binding her using belts and shoelaces. It was actually quite impressive.

Liberating her legs from the inner folds of Link's sweater, she stood up and stretched her stiff and tired limbs; today had been one long stress-fest and she was feeling it in all sorts of places.

Collin shot her a look from the corner of his eye. "You going somewhere?"

She shrugged. "I just need to stretch my legs, maybe walk around the class a bit. All this sitting and waiting is driving me crazy."

"Ok, just… be careful. We don't need you keeling over on us." he replied hesitantly, giving her a concerned look which she promptly ignored. He still thought she was suffering from the injuries she'd received fighting Veran and, too a lesser extent, Vaati. He had no way of knowing that Nayru had somehow managed to heal her, for the most part, and that she now felt good as new. Well… less hurt, at least. She was still sore.

"Yes, dad." She said teasingly, and he grinned.

"Whatever. See if I ever help you again."

"Like you could ever resist a damsel in distress." She scoffed, "I know your type."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked, sounding a little offended.

Zelda laughed. "Oh, you know, the whole 'knight in shining armor' deal. It's against your manly pride to not help out a girl in need."

Collin snorted. "You're not a girl, you're a masochist." He dodged the playful swipe she took at his arm. "Besides, I think you're getting me confused with Ralph. He's the one with archaic ideals about women."

Zelda opened her mouth to say something insulting about Ralph, then froze.

Taking a couple steps towards the door, she quickly turned to him and asked, "Can you hear that?"

Collin frowned, looking confused. "No? Hear what?"

"That! It sounds like…" She trailed off, her eyes going wide as she recognized the noise. Suddenly, she felt her adrenaline pumping, her heart rate quickening in anticipation. It felt like every muscle in her body had suddenly gone taut.

"Everyone!" Zelda called out desperately, turning to the gaggle of students that was hero-worshipping Ralph. "Everyone, quiet down! Quiet!"

After a moment, silence reigned in the classroom as the students stared peculiarly at Zelda. She, however, stood completely still, all of her attention focused on the sounds coming from outside.

Finally, one of the student's eyes widened in horror. "Is that…"

"Gunfire." Collin confirmed, striding forward to stand beside Zelda. "It must be the police."

True to his word, the vaguely distant sounds of gunfire could be heard, echoing throughout the halls. The students exchanged fearful looks as they shifted around, looking for all the world like a herd of frightened cattle.

"Well, why so glum?" Asked Ralph cheerfully. "This means our rescue in imminent. We should be rejoicing!"

"It means we need to get away from the doors." Collin said flatly. "We don't know if the shooters are going to fall back to the second floor and try to regroup, and we don't want to give them any reason to come in here and try to finish the job they started before the police can take them out."

Ralph didn't seem the least bit worried by Collin's words, but the other students did. They instantly bolted across the room, upsetting desks and chairs alike in their mad scramble to get away from the door and what they likely perceived as their impending doom.

Chortling, Ralph casually walked forward to join Collin and Zelda in the middle of the room beside Auru's overturned desk, idly twirling the brass telescope in his hands. "Well, you managed to give them quite a fright, didn't you?"

Zelda chose to ignore him. Biting her lip, she turned to Collin and asked softly, "How long do you think it'll take them to get here?"

Sighing, Collin took a seat on another desk, shaking his head. "It's impossible to say. It depends on how long it takes them to fight off Ganondorf's men, and also how long it takes them to find us. Even then, we won't be removed from the school until they secure a passage between here and the exit. It could be another hour before we make it outside."

Feeling dread course through her at the thought of staying in this school for another minute, Zelda opened her mouth to complain, when suddenly the mark on her hand began to burn.

Caught off guard, she hastily yanked the sleeve down over the back of her right hand, though she was unable to help the sudden gasp that emitted from her mouth.

"Zelda? You ok?" Collin asked, giving her a concerned look.

"Y-yeah, I just…" To her horror, the now-familiar feeling of pressure began building up in her head. The mark on her hand was glowing; she could see it through the fabric of Link's sweater. She quickly clasped her hand over it, feeling sick.

_Oh no…_

"Zelda?"

She didn't have time to respond before all of her senses went dead, and she was once again floating in the endless swirling nothingness that she'd come to know and loathe.

Part of her felt like screaming in frustration. Why did Nayru keep doing this to her? Couldn't she just leave her alone for awhile? Weren't there some other pour souls with Courage and Power the Goddesses could pick on?

As though summoned by her internal dialogue, the swirling eddies of fog began to shift and melt, merging in a familiar manner until they coalesced into the image of a tall, broad-shouldered male, striding impassively down what she recognized as a hallway of Ordon High. Recognizing the man, Zelda felt her heart leap into her throat.

Ganondorf.

As she watched, he reached into the folds of his large overcoat, pulling out a walkie-talkie. Never breaking stride, he held the small plastic device up to his mouth and said, in a deep, cruel voice, "This is Ganondorf. Heed my words. The police have infiltrated the school. We have been compromised. Any moment now, they will be upon you, and will kill you without hesitation."

Zelda blinked, caught off guard. Was he giving up? Was that the point of this vision, Nayru telling Zelda she'd done a good job and that everything was going to be ok?

Ganondorf, however, didn't wait for response from whomever he was talking to before pressing on. "Here are you final orders: Kill everyone. Leave no survivors. Let Hyrule forever remember your deeds this day. That is all."

The fog suddenly began overtaking the image, obscuring everything in sight, signaling the end of her vision. Zelda, who had been struck speechless in horror by Ganondorf's words, suddenly began screaming.

"No! No, stop! Wait! Nayru, you can't do this! You can't just show me this and expect me to save everyone! _Stop_! STOP!" Nayru, however, apparently wasn't listening, and the image continued to fade despite Zelda's frantic pleas, Ganondorf's triumphant smirk the last thing she could see before it, too, was consumed in the white nothingness.

With a pop, she crashed back into reality with jarring suddenness. Stumbling awkwardly to the side, she clumsily tripped over the overturned desk and toppled to the floor.

"Zelda!"

In a flash, Collin was at her side, helping her up. Ralph was standing beside him, looking pale and worried, his eyes as wide as saucers.

"'m fine…" She muttered weakly, fighting down the vomit that threatened to spew out at any moment. Ganondorf face seemed to be imprinted on the insides of her eyelids, mocking her whenever she blinked.

"What happened?" Collin asked, helping her back to the chair she'd been sitting in earlier. His eyes looked fearful and cautious. Ralph followed them, albeit more hesitantly.

"I…" Suddenly, she remembered the way her Triforce had been glowing. Quickly jerking her hand back over it, she was relieved to feel that it was no longer burning. Hesitantly, she removed her hand. No glowing. Good.

"What is it?" Collin asked, noting her movements. "Does your hand hurt?"

"What? No! No, it's fine. I'm fine. It's just-"

_Hurry, daughter._

Zelda was truly beginning to hate that little voice in her head, Goddess or no.

"Zelda?" Collin repeated, his brows creased in concern, and Zelda gave a reluctant sigh.

There was no way she could save them all before Ganondorf gave the order. As she'd overheard him say in the hallway earlier, there were six rooms that still contained students; the one they were in now, and five others. There was no telling how long until Ganondorf issued the command, but judging by the commotion outside, she had minutes at most, though even that was pushing luck to the extreme. She had no choice. She needed Collin's help.

But… How was she supposed to convince him?

She jerked her head backward as Collin began waving his hand in front of her eyes.

"What are you doing?" She asked, flabbergasted, and he sighed in relief.

"Oh good, I thought you blacked out again!"

"Blacked out?" She said, puzzled, remembering a second too late that she must have looked odd while she was getting her glimpse into the future.

"Well, you were standing there all rigid-like," Ralph said helpfully, gesticulating with his hands. "And your eyes, they were as wide as saucers! Also, your mouth-"

"What he means to say," Collin cut in, a hard edge to his voice; he apparently thought Ralph was embarrassing her. "is that you had us worried. I think you must've hit your head harder than we initially thought. Maybe you should lie down, or-"

"No." Zelda said quickly, cutting him off.

"But…" He said hesitantly, and Zelda shook her head curtly.

"Collin…" She said, taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, "What I'm about to tell you probably won't make any sense. And I know you're going to say that I don't know what I'm talking about, or that I'm just confused because of the injury I took to my head, but I'm not. I need you to promise me that you'll listen to what I'm about to tell you without interrupting, and that no matter what you decide, you won't try to stop me."

"Zelda, are you… feeling ok?" He asked, holding a hand up to her forehead.

"Yes! Collin, _please_… This is important."

The desperation lining her words surprised even her. Collin hesitated, staring deeply into her eyes. She could see worry and apprehension in his cloudy grey irises as clearly as if they'd been written there.

Finally, after a torturous pause, he gave a slow nod.

Swallowing hard, she gave him a brief smile while she carefully arranged the words in her mind.

"Ok… I know this is going to sound completely insane, but… I have reason to believe that Ganondorf is about to order the other guards who are watching the last of the students to go ahead and kill them before the police can make it in time to save them."

Ralph scoffed loudly, but Collin held up a hand to silence him.

Frowning deeply, he asked quietly, "And why do you think this?"

Zelda hesitated. "I… I can't tell you. I'm sorry… But I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it's going to happen. And soon."

Collin was silent for a moment, and she could see his eyes slowly move up to search for the goose egg she'd received from the butt of Veran's pistol colliding with her temple.

"Collin!" she exclaimed, seizing his chin in her fingers and forcing him to look her in the eyes. "I know you don't believe me, but think about this; I knew about Ganondorf's trap for the police!"

"You told me you overheard Ganondorf mention that aloud while hiding from him in the hallway." He replied, his tone unreadable.

She winced. "I lied… I'm sorry, but I had to get you to believe me."

To her horror, he looked unconvinced.

Ralph, however, was quite vocal on his opinion. "Oh please." he said, his tone laced with deprecation. "This is clearly a cry for attention. Or perhaps insanity. Or both. The blow to the head, combined with her need to make up for her miserable failure at defeated the villain Veran has created a crazy scenario in her mind. What else could possibly explain this madness?"

When Collin said nothing to defend her, she felt indignation and anger well up inside of her.

"Fine!" She spat, rolling her chair backward, away from Collin and Ralph, and getting angrily to her feet. "Stay here! Hide, for all I care! I, however, am going to try to save who knows how many innocent lives before Ganondorf murders them all!"

"You don't think we're about to allow an injured woman such as yourself roam the halls alone and unprotected do you?" Ralph asked, sounding horrified at the mere suggestion.

"You don't have a choice!" She snarled viciously. "Collin promised he wouldn't interfere."

Whirling around, she stormed furiously towards the door, mentally cursing the Goddesses for giving her this impossible task and then not providing any assistance. And it didn't help that everyone she tried to get to help all ended up thinking she was a mental patient. Seriously, how did the Princess of Destiny put up with this crap?

"Wait!" a voice called out as she reached the door, and she turned around in surprise to see Collin jogging towards her.

"You can't stop me." She said petulantly, turning away from him to face the door. The hallway outside was empty, but she could still hear the gunfire. It sounded closer now.

"I know." He said. "I'm coming with you."

Zelda turned back to him, shock evident on her face. "You… You believe me?" She asked, incredulously.

"I don't know…" He replied slowly, and she scowled, placing her hands on her hips. He spoke again before she could respond. "However, I do think it's likely that Ganondorf will try something like that, especially if the battle downstairs starts to go poorly for him. He won't want to give the police a victory over him, even if it means upsetting his plans."

Zelda caught the double-meaning. Collin knew something about Ganondorf's plans…

"Also," he added, giving her a weak smile. "I can't just let you wander the hallways alone."

She felt a smile slowly growing on her face. Rolling her eyes in an exaggerated fashion, she groaned loudly, "Geez, you definitely have white knight syndrome…."

He caught her joke and grinned. "Well, what can I say? Damsels in distress and all that."

Before she could respond, a voice drifted from over Collin's shoulder.

"So you're going along with her mad plan, eh?"

Ralph was standing behind Collin, an oddly amused expression on his face, the old brass telescope laying across his shoulders, both arms resting on it.

"Yes." Collin replied. "You stay here and watch the others, Ralph. Make sure nothing happens to them until the police arrive."

The red-head sighed despondently. "Well, I'm afraid I can't do that Collin."

Collin blinked, dumbfounded. "Er… Excuse me?"

"My dear boy," He said, clasping Collin's shoulders briskly, holding the telescope aloft in the other, "Did you truly think I'd allow you two to scurry off and steal all the glory? Goodness no! I shall be there beside you, leading the charge! Victory shall be ours, the captives will be saved, and Ganondorf's cruel plan shall be for naught!"

Zelda had to hand it to him. That was quite the pep talk.

Collin turned to Zelda, asking her opinion wordlessly with a glance. Zelda shrugged. They would need all the help they could get. Even if Ralph was obnoxious, he still brained Veran pretty well with that odd telescope he'd taken to carrying around. He could be useful.

"Welcome to the group?" Collin said, his statement sounding more like a question.

Ralph beamed, his pearly white teeth flashing brilliantly. "Perfect! Alright, what's the game plan?"

"Er…" Collin said, scratching the back of his head. "I'd actually like to know that too."

"Well…" Zelda said, wracking her brain. She hadn't actually thought about this either. "We know that there are five more rooms with students, right? So we just need to go and… save them…"

Ralph and Collin both gave her flat looks, and she blushed under their scrutinizing looks.

"Well?" She burst out angrily, "Do you two have any better ideas?"

"We definitely need to split up if we're going to make it to all five rooms in time." Collin said, ignoring Zelda's burning glare.

"Righto!" Ralph said brightly. "Er, I don't suppose you two know where the prisoners are being held?"

"No, actu-"

Without pausing to think, Zelda said, "Miss Tina's Algebra 2 classroom, Miss Dina's Government and Econ. Classroom, Mrs. Ruul's Environmental Science classroom, Dr. Left's Current Affairs classroom, and Mr. Adler's Physical Science classroom."

Collin stared at her, baffled, and Zelda felt her own surprise evident on her face. Where had that come from? She didn't even know any of the names she just listed, but despite that she could see clearly in her mind where they were located, as though she'd been to each location numerous times. Was this Nayru's doing?

"Well, Tina and Ruul's classes are down this way. The other three are in the opposite direction. I suggest that I take Tina; I know the layout of the room well." Ralph replied, not noticing anything odd with Zelda's knowledge. He tightened his grip on the telescope, posing dramatically.

Zelda nodded, really having no reason to object. It didn't matter to her who went where, so long as they were all reached in time.

"I'll take Ruul then." Collin said, shaking his head to dispel his confusion. "I would have had her right now anyway."

From out of his button up shirt, he withdrew the gun he'd taken from Veran. The black metal seemed to gleam cruelly under the florescent lighting. Zelda turned her gaze away with a grimace.

"What about you, Zelda?" Collin asked, and she shrugged.

"I guess… I'll take one of the others. Adler is the closest." To her surprise, Collin didn't question her. Hmm… Maybe he was starting to believe what she'd told him about knowing of Ganondorf's plans…

"Alright, let's hurry up. Get it done as quickly as possible, then move on to the closest room. But no matter what, don't take any unnecessary risks. You won't do anyone any favors if you get yourself killed."

Zelda nodded grimly, her face set with determination. Collin wasn't that bad at pep talks either. Maybe he and Ralph should both take coaching jobs…

"Ok. See you guys later. Hopefully." Collin offered Zelda a weak smile, then darted off down the hallway to the right, back towards Ezlo's classroom, the way they had come from originally.

Ralph offered a short bow, flourishing the edge of his sweater like a cape. "Take care." he said formally, then turned and hurried off after Collin. After a moment, Zelda was alone.

_Hurry daughter…_

Swallowing back the rising sense of fear, Zelda steeled her nerves before turning and heading off down the hallway in the opposite direction of the boys as fast as her feet dared go. She hugged her arms to herself, taking comfort in Link's sweater as the sounds of the battle downstairs drew nearer.

For the first time all day, her thoughts turned to her father… How was he handling knowing that she was still trapped in this nightmare? Did he even know? He must… surely the entire nation new by now… Had he called Tetra? Her older sister, she knew, would be terrified. The two of them had been incredibly close, and she'd missed her terribly ever since she'd gone off to college a year ago. She was probably driving home as fast as she could. She wished there was someway she could let them know she was ok… But was she really? Was she going to survive today? Or would she be just another name on the six o'clock news?

It wasn't until she was once again alone and lost within the labyrinthine passages of Ordon High that she really began to miss the presence of Collin. She was even starting to miss Ralph, obnoxious as he was. At least he was some company.

She was grateful for the comfort that knowing where she was going provided her. Sure, she still couldn't tell one hallway from another, but she felt like she was being pulled towards something, as though something was guiding her forward…

As she rounded the nearest corner, she abruptly came into contact with something that was very warm and solid.

With a cry of surprise and alarm she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her midsection, and together the two toppled to the ground.

Groaning as her sore muscles shrieked in protest, she groggily lifted her head, opening her eyes slightly as she attempted to understand what had happened…

As the figure below her let out an agonized cough, her eyes snapped open in horror. She was laying on top of someone!

Struggling to get off of whomever she was on top of (her mind suddenly began flashing to images of Ganondorf, or perhaps one of his numerous lackeys, or maybe a police officer), she became acutely aware of a very strange sensation within her. Almost like a humming… or a vibration… Whatever it was, it was strong, and it felt like it was originating from the back of her hand.

Completely unnerved, she managed to push herself up on her hands. Blowing the hair out of her eyes, her gaze fell upon the figure below her… and she froze.

She was staring into a pair of _very_ familiar cobalt eyes… Eyes that were staring back at her with shock clearly written into them. His face, framed with his shaggy blonde hair, was the picture of disbelief.

"Link?" she whispered softly, stunned.

"Zelda?" he replied, his tone matching hers perfectly.

The hum had grown louder now, as though it were singing inside of her. For whatever reason, she couldn't bring herself to tear her eyes away from Link to check if her Triforce was glowing. It just didn't seem important at the moment.

Before she could say or do anything else, she heard a polite cough from somewhere above her.

"Um… Should we leave you two alone?"

Zelda blinked, then flushed violently. She had just plowed into Link, knocking him onto the ground, had fallen on top of him, and now here she was _laying_ on him?

She quickly scrambled to her feet, hurriedly mumbling numerous apologies as she helped Link up. He looked too stunned to respond, however, and she quickly diverted her gaze out of sheer mortification.

"Oh look, Zelda. You swept Link off his feet… Again!" came an immensely amused voice to her left.

Letting her eyes snap back up, she was surprised to find Midna standing beside her, her hands on her hips, a suggestive grin on her face.

"I dunno…" Muttered a guy standing behind her who Zelda recognized as Sheik, the boy who she'd seen in the graveyard with Ganondorf, and yet had helped her and the others save Anju. "I'm pretty sure it's all Link's doing. It's like it's his life goal to crash into people."

"Midna!" Zelda exclaimed, rushing forward and enveloping the girl in a tight hug. "Oh Farore, I thought you were dead or… or something! I can't believe you're ok!"

The gothic girl giggled and hugged her back fiercely. "It's good to see you're ok too, Zelda. After we got separated…."

"I know…" She whispered, feeling the tears welling up in her eyes. Midna was ok… And if she was ok, maybe everyone else was too. Anything was possible. They just might make it out of here alive after all…

Pulling away from Midna with a watery chuckle, she turned to Sheik, unsure of what to say to him.

"Um…" she started, and he laughed, waving his hands in front of him.

"Don't worry, you don't need to feel obligated to hug me." He chuckled. "Besides, I think Link might just kill me."

Midna punched him playfully on the arm. "Shut up, you."

Zelda couldn't help but laugh.

Before she could turn her attention back to Link, she felt something small collide with her with a surprising amount of force.

"Zelda!" the figure exclaimed gleefully.

"A-Aryll?" Zelda stammered, staring in surprise at the blonde pigtailed girl who was clinging to her midriff.

"The one and only!" She replied, beaming up at her. Now that they were so close, she could definitely see the family resemblance between her and Link. Though her hair was lighter, and her eyes were brighter, they had the same facial shape, and they had the same smirk.

"You're ok!' Zelda exclaimed, hugging her back and laughing in joy. "I thought Sakon captured you!"

"Psh, like he could ever stop me!" the smaller girl giggled brightly and Zelda laughed.

From behind her, she heard the hesitant sound of a throat being nervously cleared. Releasing Aryll, the turned around and found herself being taken aback once more as her eyes landed on the final member of the group; the purple-headed Kafei Dotour.

"Zelda…" he said quietly, before cutting off with an 'oof!' as Zelda ran to hug him.

"Kafei!" she cried in relief, "You're ok! We all thought you were dead! Oh, Nayru…"

"Zelda," he said again, grabbing her shoulders and holding her out to arms length. He looked nervous; scared even. "Listen, I'm really glad to see you're ok too. It's just… If you're still here, then… did Anju…?"

His voice choked off, unable to bring himself to finish his sentence. The air around the group was suddenly tense.

Zelda stared at him in confusion for a moment before suddenly realizing what he was trying to say.

"Oh! Oh, no, Kafei, she's fine! She made it out in time!"

"You're sure?"

"Completely." She said firmly, "I watched her leave with my own eyes."

All the tension left his body in a rush, and he visibly sagged with relief.

"Oh, Goddesses, thank you… When I saw you, I thought…"

"I know." She replied, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Zelda," Aryll asked curiously, "If you saw them leave, then… Why didn't you go with them?"

"I staid behind to cause a distraction so the other girls could escape." She replied simply.

Aryll seemed stunned. "Really? That's amazing!"

"Not really." she chuckled, feeling a little embarrassed. "All it got me was a massive bruise from where Vaati kicked me and an elongated stay in this death trap."

Aryll looked like she wanted to ask another question, but Midna suddenly spoke up.

"Zel, why are you wearing Link's sweater?"

Sheik snorted with suppressed amusement, and Zelda felt her face once again turning cherry red.

Turning away from the now laughing Midna and Aryll, she sought out Link's face to see how he was handling the situation and if he wanted his sweater back. It wasn't until their eyes met that she realized he'd been silent nearly throughout the entire exchange.

Link was standing silently in a corner, a troubled look on his face. As they locked gazes, the humming inside her seemed to magnify in intensity, and the mark on the back of her hand began to tingle. Subconsciously, she moved her hand to massage the mark.

To her immense surprise, Link mirrored her movement, only with his other hand. Slowly, her eyes tore themselves from his own intense, piercing cobalt irises and traveled down, passed his Skull Keeta T-shirt, to the hand he was massaging.

There, on the back of his left hand, was a trio of golden triangles.

Zelda felt like she'd been punched in the stomach.

Link? _Link_ had a piece of the Triforce? Did that mean he could see the future like her, or… No, that was what Nayru's blessing from the Triforce of Wisdom did… So which piece did he have? Power? Courage?

She opened her mouth without thinking, ready to blurt out whatever question first came to mind, when suddenly Nayru's voice rang out in her head in warning.

_Time grows short, daughter. Hurry._

Suddenly, Zelda remembered why she'd been roaming the halls in the first place, and she felt dread wash over her like a tidal wave. How much time had she just wasted? Was she too late? How were Collin and Ralph fairing on their end? Had Ganondorf already given the signal? Goddesses, help her!

She came back to reality just in time to hear Kafei ask curiously, "Zelda, do you know what that sound is downstairs? Who's fighting? Is it-"

"It's the police." She said quickly, cutting him off. "They're fighting off Ganondorf's men. They're on their way to rescue us."

That seemed to surprise everyone in the group.

"That's fantastic!" Aryll exclaimed happily. "We're almost free! We can go home!"

Link, however, had noticed Zelda's expression. "What are you not telling us?" he asked softly, and once again all attention was on Zelda.

She swallowed nervously; would they believe her? "Ganondorf is about to give the order for the remaining students being held captive to be executed. He doesn't want anyone to make it out of here alive."

There was a stunned pause following her words.

"How do you know?" Midna asked in a horrified whisper, her red eyes growing wide in shock

"Look, I don't have time to explain!" She quickly, carefully skating over that touchy topic; she didn't have time to convince them to follow her, they needed to act _now._

"There are only five more rooms containing prisoners, the rest have already managed to escape one way or another. Me and two other people set out to try and save the other students before Ganondorf killed them all, but I don't think we can do it alone… Please, will you help me?"

There was a definite note of pleading in her voice, and she gazed at them all imploringly, desperation in her eyes.

Kafei spoke up first. "You saved Anju's life, so I owe you mine. If you needed me to march with you against the Goddesses themselves, I would."

Zelda blinked with surprise at his conviction, but then smiled at him broadly. He returned it with a wink.

Midna voiced her assent next. "Girl, do you even have to ask? Walking into dangerous situations is everyday stuff for you and me."

With an unexpected laugh, Zelda gave her another quick one-armed hug, grinning from ear to ear.

At her side, Sheik gave a nonchalant shrug and said, "Well, I guess that means I'm in too."

To Zelda's surprise, he reached down and caught Midna's hand in his own, entwining their fingers. She wanted to coo at the cuteness of it all, but then she remembered they were in a life-or-death situation and she quickly schooled her feelings.

Aryll casually linked her hands behind her head and stretched. "You know I'm in. I don't know how much help I'll be, but…"

When her eyes landed on Link, he nodded. "I'm with you." He said softly.

Something inside of her soared. Inexplicably, she no longer felt as though the task before them was impossible; with Link on their side, they could do it, no problem.

But… that didn't make any sense. Why did she feel that way again?

"So what's the game plan, captain?" Sheik asked, and Zelda started.

"Oh! Um… well, I guess we should divide ourselves and tackle different rooms…"

"Sounds good to me." Kafei said, clapping his hands together in eager anticipation. "Though we should probably make sure there's one gun per group."

"Guns?" Zelda asked, confused.

As one, Kafei, Sheik, and Link all withdrew guns from various places on their persons.

Midna whistled softly. "Dang. Our guys are packing heat!"

"I'll take Midna." Sheik replied tersely, and Midna flashed him a grin. "Where should we go?"

"Let's see…" Zelda said, wracking her brains for the names of the last three classes. "Do you know where Miss Dina's Government and Econ. Classroom is?"

"Yup!" Midna said. "I had her last semester. It's not too far from here."

Without another word, the couple turned and jogged off down the hall.

"Ok, I think Link should stick with Aryll, since she's his little sister." Kafei said, and Zelda felt inexplicably irritated. It was the logical decision, after all, but she couldn't help but wish Link would stay with her; she felt safer around him. She glanced surreptitiously at Link out of the corner of her eye. She could have sworn that his eyes had darted to her then away again.

"Ok, then how about you two take Dr. Left's room. It's a-"

"History class." Aryll chirped. "Gotcha. See you later!"

And with that, she snagged her brother's hand and dragged him down the hall after Sheik and Midna. Zelda's eyes trailed him until he was out of her line of sight, sighing despondently.

As if on cue, as soon as he was gone, the humming inside her ceased. Her hand had even stopped tingling. Now that was odd… Could it have been because Link had the same markings she had? Which Triforce piece did he carry? And why him? For that matter, why her? What was going on?

"Ok!" Kafei exclaimed, stretching his arms over his head, cracking his back loudly. "Where to, General?"

Despite the situation, Zelda couldn't help but chuckle. "Mr. Adler's. Physical Science."

"Ok. After you." He replied, bowing, and Zelda laughed.

As one, they turned and jogged off the way she had come from, a smile on her face. Her, Link, Kafei, Midna, Sheik, Aryll, Collin, and Ralph. Between the eight of them, Ganondorf didn't stand a chance.

Maybe this Triforce thing wasn't so bad after all.

From below, the sounds of the violence steadily grew nearer.

* * *

_Geez... It just kinda dragged on forever, didn't it? I've come to a conclusion: This is all Zelda's fault. All of her sections are ridiculously lengthy. Curse you... _

_Anyway, I hope you guys liked it. I kinda rushed a bit, because I'm going out of town for a few days (Linkin Park concert, baby!) and wanted to get this up before I left. _

_So remember: Three more chapters. And that's it, I promise. There's still much more epicness on the way, though I like to think Link's little tree pot moment was pretty epic (once again and example of random stuff popping into my head at the last moment). _

_Thanks to all of my reviewers, and I'm sorry if I couldn't respond to you all. I'm really trying, but it's hard cause life is just so friggin hectic. But hey: Almost to 100 reviews! AND almost to 10,000 hits! Huzzah! Thank you guys so much for your continued support. I love you all to death, with all of my zesty, crunchy, croutony heart. _

_See you in Chapter 16!_

_Keep it Zesty_

_ZC  
_


	16. Courage to Strengthen

_Wow. Another month-long delay. Who saw that coming? Show of hands?_

_Yeesh... sorry guys. Life's a hassle, what can I say? But here it is, like I promised: Chapter 16. _

_As you'll likely notice... holy mother of cheesecake, it's long. Far and away, the longest chapter I've ever written. I wonder if there's a hall of fame for chapters of ridiculous lengths..._

_meh. I'll bore you with drabble later. For now, Read on!_

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 16**

**Courage to Strengthen**

Sprinting forward, ducking his head to avoid the bits of brick and plaster that literally rained down from the ricocheting bullets all around him, Rusl quickly turned down the first hallway and skidded to a halt. Resting his back against the wall, panting heavily, he acknowledged the two men on his left; Shiro and Nyeve.

"Sir." Shiro panted in an attempt at respect, though he was visibly winded. Nyeve said nothing, he head resting back against the wall, his eyes tight shut and a pained grimace on his face.

"Men." Rusl replied tersely, not in the mood for formalities, "What's wrong with Nyeve?"

"A bullet grazed his arm." Shiro answered breathlessly, shrugging. "It's a shallow gash; he'll be fine."

Rusl nodded, turning his attention back to the battle at hand. He was glad Nyeve was ok, though he was ashamed to admit it was mostly because he needed every man he had to help him rescue his son. Sure, the other student's were priorities as well, as was locating the mastermind behind all this, Ganondorf, but… He'd be lying if he said finding Collin wasn't his number one goal.

Sidling up against the wall, he slowly inched his way back to the corner, flinching as debris rained down on his helmet. He and his men had only been in the school a total of five minutes or so, but between all of the violence and death it felt like an eternity.

They'd snuck around the perimeter of Ordon High, infiltrating the gymnasium without so much as a sneeze. The gym was empty, much to his surprise, save for the bodies of two young men that lay about twenty feet from the hallway door. He deduced from Linebeck and Nabooru's testimonies that these were Zant, one of the main conspirators, and one of their lackeys whose name he could not recall.

If his men weren't aware of what awaited them in the school, they surely were then. He'd heard various moans and muttered oaths when they'd discovered the bodies, and he himself felt the bile rising in his throat. Despite the fact that they were the enemies, he couldn't bring himself to be pleased that two of his foes had been slain; children didn't belong on the battlefield, regardless of the side.

Emboldened by the sudden desire to put an end to the senseless bloodshed, he led his men onward, out into the hall beyond and their first real steps into the school.

The halls were eerily quiet; he'd almost expected to hear distant shrieks and see people being slaughtered everywhere he looked, but all was silent and empty. Motioning for five men to turn left and search the remainder of the short hallway, he led the rest down towards the center of the school building. Every step seemed to echo in the crypt-like school, and every breath seemed unbearably loud in his ears. He felt the tension and dark anticipation for what awaited them pressing on him, weighing him down, filling his thoughts with sickening dread at the inevitable horrors until…

They found the first attackers.

At first, the two groups just stared at each other, equally stupefied and hesitant. The boys, for boys they were, were clearly waiting in ambush as Collin had said on the phone. All had their guns trained in the direction of the cafeteria, which Rusl now realized they were near, and all were hiding behind open doors and desks that they'd dragged out of classrooms and set up as a means of defense between them and whoever would be coming from the kitchen.

They were not defended from the rear at all.

With a sudden panicked cry, one of the boys, a pock-marked brunette with a red nose and a surly expression on his face, spun around and leveled his gun at Rusl. Without thought, Rusl hefted his rifle and pulled the trigger, barely pausing to aim. With an angry blast, the rifle discharged, and the boy flew off of his feet with a shout of alarm, hitting the ground with a thud, never moving again.

Then everything went mad.

The shooters scrambled over their makeshift barrier, firing blindly behind them in panic and rage as they fled down the hall. Rusl and his men instantly pursued, returning fire as they ran. The air soon became congested with the sounds of gunfire, stampeding footsteps, and screams of anger and pain.

The police herded the shooters down to the cafeteria where Rusl had been certain they'd had them routed, but he'd underestimated the number of attackers, and soon everything lost control. The boys fled in every direction, like so many ants from a water hose, and Rusl had been forced to divide his men into smaller groups in order to pursue them before pressing on himself, harrying a group down the opposite hallway that led to the band room.

Which led him here; crouching behind a wall, ducking his head to ward off falling bits of brick and plaster as the gun-toting teens fired aimlessly in the direction he and his men were hiding. Their bullets ricocheted off the walls, leaving holes in the ceiling tiles or gouges in the filthy floor, occasionally shattering one of the garish yellow light fixtures above.

Cursing under his breath, Rusl tried to find a way out of the situation. They were pinned down in this hallway; if they tried to move out to confront their attackers, they'd be killed. But if they continued to hide here and attempt to outlast their ammunition, they might be too late to save the students upstairs…

"Sir." Shiro said, taping his shoulder.

"Hmm?" he replied, distracted, still thinking of way to take out their attackers so they could press on.

"If I may…?"

Rusl glanced back and blinked. Shiro was holding a short, narrow black cylinder in his hand. He sent the man a questioning look.

"Flash bang." He replied, and recognition dawned in Rusl's eyes.

With a curt nod, he stepped out of the way, allowing Shiro to step towards the corner. Grunting, he jerked the pin out with a deft twist of his wrist, then quickly turned, hurling the weapon down the hall.

They heard it clink and rattle as it bounced off the walls and skittered across the floor. There was a slight pause, then a sudden cry of "Oh, Din!" before a tremendous explosion and a blinding burst of light drowned out all noise.

Rusl didn't wait to see if Shiro and Nyeve were following; as soon as the flash was gone, he took off down the hall, his rifle raised defensively, broken bits of brick crunching under his feet. There were two boys on the ground, hands clasped over their eyes as they rolled around on the floor in agony, their guns forgotten on the floor beside them. The sound of retreating footsteps could be heard again; some of them had escaped.

Coming to a halt beside the remains of the grenade, Rusl examined the boys critically. Pausing beside him, Shiro whistled hollowly. "Well. They don't look too fearsome, now do they?"

One of the boys nearly burst into tears at the sound of his voice. "Ah! P-Please, d-don't kill me! I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Shut up!" The other one hissed vehemently as he tried to get to his feet, stumbling over his downed friend and collapsing back onto the ground with a 'oomph!'

"Orders?" Shiro asked, his brow raised. Nyeve, who had just arrived, sneered down at the two boys.

Rusl sighed. They couldn't just kill them; despite the fact that only moments earlier they were trying to do the same to them. They were unarmed, and even worse they were minors. Regardless of their crimes, he would make sure they were handcuffed and taken from the school without any more harm than strictly necessary. Still… this was going to cost him time.

"Cuff 'em." He replied wearily, wiping his brow with the back of his gloved hand. Nyeve looked less than enthused by the order, but Shiro nodded understandingly. Each man hauled a boy to his feet, secured the handcuffs to their wrists behind their backs, and began guiding them back down the hall. Rusl, casting a reluctant look down the hall where the other attackers had fled, followed.

"You think it's over, but it's not." one of the boys grunted savagely, his accomplice sobbing pitifully beside him.

"Oh?" Rusl replied vaguely, not particularly interested in anything the boy had to say.

"Yeah." he spat, his eyes still clenched tightly shut to ward off the light that was no doubt stabbing at his eyes. "The Great Ganondorf can't be stopped. He's going to change the world. Just you wait."

"Mmm." Rusl grunted, and the group digressed into silence, other than one boy's angry mutters and the other's pitiful sobs.

Letting his mind wander to the battle sounds that still echoed all around them, Rusl tried to fight back the surge of impatience that threatened to overwhelm him. He didn't want to escort these killers back to the exit, but he knew he had no choice. He couldn't venture on alone; that would be suicide. And they couldn't just kill them, as much as they might deserve it. Curse Ganondorf for all he had done this day…

With a startled cry, Rusl unexpectedly stepped in a puddle and slipped, landing on his back, his rifle clattering loudly on the ground beside him. With a sudden blast it discharged, and with a scream of agony Nyeve fell to his knees, clutching his now-bloody arm.

Shiro froze in place, stunned, and before he could react the boy he was guiding took advantage of the sudden confusion and rammed into him with his shoulder, knocking Shiro to the ground. With a cackle of glee, he took off running down the hall.

Struggling to his knees with a growl on the surprisingly slippery floor, Rusl jerkily pulled his handgun from his holster on his side and, aiming unsteadily, began firing at the boy.

The first shot missed. As did the second.

The third caught him in the back.

As the boy fell forward, Rusl quickly turned his gun towards the second boy, only to realize he hadn't moved; he was standing just off to the side, still sniveling, apparently not noticing anything that had just happened.

With a shaky breath Rusl clambered to his feet, his entire backside wet and oddly sticky from the puddle. His heart was thudding from the sudden surge of adrenaline that had coursed through him when the boy had run. And now… Now he'd killed two children.

Shaking his head quickly to push the thought away, he returned to the matter at hand. Reclaiming his rifle first, he hastened to Nyeve's side.

"Nayru, that was bad luck." Shiro groaned, pushing himself to an upright position and rubbing the back of his head with a grimace. "What happened?"

"I slipped." Rusl muttered, turning Nyeve's tortured appendage to examine the wound. He'd taken the bullet straight through his elbow; it looked like the base of his humerus was busted. He wouldn't be fighting anymore today.

"On…?" Shiro started to ask, before noticing the puddle. "Oh goddesses, what is this? Bleach?"

For the first time, Rusl noticed the strong acrid scent in the air. It was bleach… or something like it. That explained why his clothing felt so sticky, and why the ground was so slippery… Casting his eyes around the hall, he noticed the puddle covered half the flooring and seemed to have emanated from a nearby janitor's closet. It wasn't until then that he noticed the body of a purple-haired boy laying forgotten against the wall by the door.

His face was pallid, and his eyes wide and vacant; he wasn't breathing. Another casualty, then. His long, oddly purple hair streamed out behind him like a fan, in dark clumps because of the sticky liquid on the ground.

Long purple hair… that was how Linebeck had described Vaati, another conspirator. Was this the one? Were two of Ganondorf's leaders dead already? Pushing these thoughts to the back of his mind, he turned his attention back to Nyeve.

"Shiro, help me." Rusl said, quickly strapping his rifle to his side to free his hands. Grasping Nyeve's uninjured arm, he quickly wrapped it around his shoulders and, with his other arm supporting his back, helped the officer to his feet.

Shiro looked uncertain. "Sir, we'll be sitting ducks. Surely you don't expect me to protect you, Nyeve and the boy?"

"He'll walk ahead of us. If he tries to run, we'll shoot." Rusl replied sternly. "Besides, we haven't gone far, and the battle has moved on without us. And I have one free arm." He motioned with his left hand, deftly drawing his pistol from it's holster. "Our main priority right now is to make sure Nyeve gets out to receive medical attention."

"But… Your son…"

"That's an order, officer." Rusl said sternly, and Shiro flinched.

"Yes, sir!"

Nyeve was breathing heavily, his face pale and drawn, and he groaned with every step, but the quartet still made progress down the hall, albeit slowly. Their hostage led the way, his sniveling nearly drowned out by the sound of gunfire echoing through the halls, though none of it ever reached them. Shiro was next, with his rifle trained at the boy's back. Every few seconds he cast a glance backwards to check on Rusl and Nyeve and to make sure no one was sneaking up on them.

As they continued on down the slowly curving hallway back towards the cafeteria, Rusl couldn't help but let his thoughts drift towards his son. Was he alright? Had any of his officers reached him yet? He'd given the express order not to advance to the second story until the bottom floor was secure unless a hostage's life was in jeopardy, but still…

As his troupe approached the cafeteria, Rusl became distinctly aware of a strange, rough, almost bark-like sound coming from somewhere nearby. Exchanging odd looks with Shiro, the group slowed to a stop just in front of the wide open double doors that led into the cafeteria.

The cafeteria itself was completely empty save for a number of bodies that lay on the ground; four appeared to be students, one of which clearly fell from the staircase in the corner that led up to the balcony, and one was an officer. From what he could see of the opposite hallway, all was clear. Nobody was nearby, despite the sounds of gunfire coming from nearly every direction.

Suddenly, they heard the sound again. This time it sounded closer, and seemed disturbingly similar to a choking dog. Casting his eyes about randomly, his vision landed on a doorway next to a large metal shutter that was clearly meant to serve snacks during games and other social events. The sound came again, and this time he was certain; it was coming from in there.

Motioning with his head towards the room, Shiro nodded, then stepped forward to help hold up Nyeve, all the while keeping his gun trained on their prisoner.

With his hands now free, Rusl worked his fingers in his gloves before raising his pistol slightly and stalking quietly towards the door. It was made of light brown wood, much like all the doors in the school, though this one lacked a window, likely because it wasn't a classroom.

Pressing himself against the wall, he slowly extended his free hand, gripping the handle lightly. Inwardly counting to three, he took a deep breath, reaffirmed his grip on his weapon, then with a roar of "Freeze!" he through the door open.

What met his sight was not exactly what he'd been expecting.

As the door rebounded off the wall with a crash, slapping back against his palm, he stared in stupefaction at the two horrified teenagers who were sitting on the counter in the room.

The first one he noticed was a girl with short black hair, her eyes wide with shock, her mouth hanging open in dull surprise. She was sitting on the counter, back propped up against a wall, her legs splayed out before her. Oddly, one of her pantlegs was missing, and on her bare thigh he could see a large makeshift bandage, most of which was now a dark, sickly red. She'd been injured.

The other was a red-headed boy, his glasses askew, his nose red and swollen, and trembling hands held up in a defensive position. In a raspy voice he exclaimed, "Wait, don't shoot us! We're not them!"

Swallowing roughly, he let his gun arm fall to his side. Shaking his head ruefully, he stepped forward, placing his hands akimbo as he examined the two intimidated teens.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to harm you." He said, adopting a soothing tone. "My name is Rusl Smith, I'm the chief of police. What are your names?"

The two teens exchanged flat looks.

"I'm Shad." The boy said, in a tone that clearly said he didn't appreciate being spoken down to. His throat really sounded awful. He likely had laryngitis or something. Children were always coming to school sick nowadays…

"And I'm Ashei." The girl said. Her tone was very direct, as though she expected his full attention and respect. She gave him a searching look, looking puzzled. "How are you all alive?"

"Pardon?" Shiro asked, entering the room. He gave Rusl a short nod as he eased Nyeve into a sitting position, directing their prisoner into a corner with his gun.

"The trap." She replied, not even blinking at the new arrivals, nor commenting when Rusl moved to shut the door. "Ganondorf laid a trap for you because he knew you'd be coming in. How did you escape?"

Rusl pursed his lips, his mustache tickling his nose. "How about we just focus on getting you kids out safely, hmm? We can fill you in on the details later."

"Don't patronize us." The boy, Shad, cut in. He pushed his broken glasses back up the slope of his busted nose primly, casting Rusl a cold stare. "We've been through enough today as it is. Ganondorf had a trap laid for you, but somehow you and your men evaded it. What we're asking is simple; did someone tip you off about Ganondorf's plan?"

Taken aback by his directness, Rusl answered slowly. "…Yes."

"Was it a girl named Zelda?" Ashei asked, leaning forward intently, her eyes sparkling eagerly despite her blood-drained visage.

"It was my son, Collin. Though there was a girl named Zelda with him, yes."

The two exchanged amazed looks, delight evident on their faces.

"So she's ok?"

"Do you know where she is?"

"Has she been hurt?"

"Is it over? Can we leave now?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Rusl exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air as if they'd ward off the sudden explosion of questions. "She should still be upstairs with my son, and the last I heard they were both ok. However, I don't know what's happened since then, and we can't progress to the upper levels until the bottom floor is clear, and that includes the wounded."

He sent them a meaningful look. The girl sighed, looking let down, but Shad nodded, pushing himself off the counter to stand on his own.

"Of course. Well, I'll help move Ashei; she's taken a gunshot wound to her lower thigh, and since then she's lost a great deal of blood. She should have received medical treatment hours ago, but-"

"Whoa now," the girl cut in, looking flustered. "Don't be giving me that crap! You need to see the doctor just as badly as I do! Any minute now your lungs are going to shut down and you'll asphyxiate or something-"

"That's preposterous." He replied, rolling his eyes. "You're in much worse condition than I am. You can't even move-"

"Only because I can't support my weight! You can barely exert any energy without threatening to cough up a lung!"

Shad opened his mouth to argue back, but suddenly succumbed into a vicious coughing fit. Rusl suddenly realized what the sound they'd been hearing was; not a choking dog, it was this boy's coughing.

Grimacing at the sound emitting from his tortured windpipe, Rusl exclaimed, "Good Farore, what happened to you, son?"

Seeing as he was otherwise engaged with his hacking fit, it was Ashei who answered his question.

"He made an impromptu chemical weapon out of cleaner in order to save me and Zelda from a thug named Vaati, only the idiot inhaled too much of it and he burned almost his entire airway. Any minute now his lungs could shut down and he'll suffocate."

If Rusl was the type to let surprise effect him, he was certain his jaw would have dropped. Behind him, Shiro let out an impressed grunt.

"Well…" Rusl replied, unsure whether to address why a teenage boy knew how to whip up a chemical weapon out of common supplies found in a school building, "I suppose this means we have three people to bring to the ambulances. Shad, you're in no condition to be supporting your friend."

He opened his mouth to protest, which was irrelevant since he was still coughing, but Rusl rode over him anyway. "You'll only end up hurting both of you. Shiro will continue to support Nyeve, and I'll carry Ashei. Shad, you'll need to carry my handgun."

At the look of surprise in his now watery eyes, he quickly continued. "I don't expect you'll have to use it; the battle seems to have progressed to different locales. Just carry it in self-defense, and to make sure our little guest doesn't try to make a break for it. We've only got to make it as far as the exit in the kitchen. Can you handle that?"

Clearing his throat roughly, the coughing fit subsiding, the boy nodded, a fierce light in his eyes.

"Alright then. Let's move out."

Getting ready took only a matter of moments. Handing the gun off to Shad, Rusl approached Ashei and carefully snaked one arm under her knees and the other just under her arms. Lifting her bridal-style, he was careful not to jostle her too much as to avoid causing her any more pain. Still, her face went a little green, and she had to clench her eyes shut and inhale deeply.

Shiro supporting the still silent Nyeve, the now expanded troupe headed for the door. Shad was there first. Slowly opening it, he peered cautiously down one end of the hallway before peeking his head around the wood to glance in to the cafeteria. After a moment, turned back and whispered, "All's clear."

As they reemerged into the hall, the sound of gunfire seemed to get louder, though it still seemed distant. Were they upstairs already? Had they not waited for him? Refusing to think about it, he hefted the girl in his arms and quickly scurried off towards the kitchen.

Thankfully, he was right; there wasn't much distance left that they needed to travel. The two doors were literally fifteen feet apart. They crossed through the corner of the silent cafeteria without notice, and Shad quietly held the kitchen door open for them as they all piled inside.

The kitchen was a mess of upturned pans and raided refrigerators; Ganondorf had clearly had men stationed here at one point in time. Possibly when he learned Rusl and his men were planning on infiltrating the school. The loud droning of the fridges and ovens nearly drowned out the sound of gunfire.

Weaving between sinks and counters, a task made difficult for Rusl with his burden, the group quickly approached the backdoor. Hesitating before grabbing the handle, Shad turned back to look at them, his gun trained on the hostage just like Shiro.

"You are certain the route is clear?"

"Beyond a shadow of a doubt." Rusl replied with a short nod.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed the handle, and the door swung open.

Sunlight seemed to blind them as the group stumbled outside. As they quickly crossed the cement of the back patio and headed towards the grass that separated the road that bore the police perimeter and the school, Rusl quickly became aware of an odd noise. It sounded like a dull roar at first, though as they neared the police barricade, all of them panting heavily from the exertion, realization dawned on him.

It was cheering.

The officers, EMT's, news reporters, and pretty much everyone else who happened to be in the area were applauding them as they made their mad dash to safety. Rusl half expected Shad to make a break for it and get there first, but he stayed by Rusl's side, casting worried glances at Ashei, his breath coming out in agonizing wheezes. The girl herself had her eyes squeezed tightly shut, her face going from white to green with every step Rusl took.

The prisoner was actually the first to cross the line, and he was immediately set upon by other officers as soon as they noticed his handcuffs. The reporters attempted to swarm the rest of them as soon as they crossed the line of yellow police tape, but a physical wall of cops blocked them from getting too close.

Ignoring the numerous questions being tossed his way, Rusl dove between cars and people alike as he dashed towards the nearest ambulance, Shad at his side the whole way, wheezing heavily, Shiro and Nyeve bringing up the rear.

As they neared the ambulance, a man leapt out of the back and rushed towards them, others emerging from the surrounding area. Rusl immediately recognized him as the man who took that Anju girl away earlier. There was no time to ask after her condition, however.

When he was within speaking distance, the man asked, "What do we have?"

"Bullet wound to the thigh for this one." He replied, his tone brisk and business-like, gesturing with his head to the girl in his arms. "I've been told she's lost a significant amount of blood. The man behind me, Officer Nyeve, has also received a bullet wound, though his was more recently. I believe it has shattered his right humerus. And the boy apparently inhaled some sort of highly caustic chemical and has burned his entire respiratory system. They all require immediate medical attention."

Nodding, the man turned back and began relaying orders to the various medical personnel who were scrambling behind him. While they dispersed, pulling gurneys and medical kits out of the insides of their vehicles, Rusl let out a weary sigh. He couldn't tell if he was happy they'd managed to save these two students, or if he was upset he wasn't in the building right now saving others.

Turning to Shad, he was surprised to see tears in his eyes.

"You alright, son?" He asked softly. Ashei opened her eyes, casting her friend a worried look.

"Yeah…" he replied quietly, barely more than a rasp. "It's just… we actually made it out. We're alive. I thought… I was so sure we were done for…."

Rusl felt his throat constrict painfully. Was that what all the students in the school were experiencing right now? Had they all already given up on any hope of survival? And what of Collin? Or Aryll? Link, Sheik, Kafei, Zelda… Had they all already resigned themselves to death?

When the EMT returned with the gurney, Rusl gently laid the girl down on it and backed away, giving the men room to secure her. A couple feet to the side, he could see them doing the same to Nyeve. Shad shook his head, refusing his own gurney; "I can sit." he said lightly, "Save the gurneys for those who need them."

As they began carting the injured away, Ashei suddenly cried out, "Wait!"

The EMT's paused, looking troubled.

"Can… Can Shad ride with me?"

There was a surprised pause as Shad's jaw dropped, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"It's just… Well, if he's just gonna sit, there's no point in wasting another ambulance on him, right? So… Just let him ride with me. It'll save time."

"Well…" the EMT replied, looking troubled. "I suppose it's ok…"

There was an awkward moment where the EMT and Rusl glanced back and forth between the two injured teens, Shad with a strange expression on his face, Ashei keeping her gaze carefully averted in embarrassment, fiddling with one of the straps that secured her waist absently.

"Aw, Ashei, I'm touched." Shad suddenly replied, smirking sarcastically, and the poignancy of the moment was instantly defused.

"Shut up, dweeb!" She spat, temper suddenly flaring. "I'm just looking out for the other student's who might be hurt, alright? It's not like I want your company or anything!"

She looked away, scowling, muttering darkly to herself, but Shad had a small smile on his face as he waited patiently for them to load her into the ambulance so he could climb in after her.

Rusl didn't wait to hear anymore. Turning to Shiro, he shrugged his shoulders and said, "Well? You ready for round two?"

Shiro sighed wearily, but unclasped the rifle from his side and hefted it in his hands. "Yes, Sir."

"Alright then. Let's move out."

* * *

Zelda had to admit; Kafei struck a rather impressive figure. Running through the halls with his long, flowing purple hair billowing out behind him, gun casually in hand, stoic expression, heavy trench coat flaring behind him like a cape. It gave him the appearance of an old-school detective or PI like you'd see in black and white movies. And of course, if Kafei was the dashing hero, that made her the beautiful female lead.

Except Kafei already had a girlfriend. And Zelda wasn't particularly interested in him anyway. He wasn't really her type; she preferred her guys with shorter hair. Preferably blonde. With a more rugged appearance, and fierce, blue eyes…

Whoa. Probably not the best time to be fantasizing.

"Come on, Zel. Almost there." Kafei encouraged, panting, jogging just ahead of her.

"Yeah yeah…" She muttered breathily, and the two turned a corner, heading down yet another indistinguishable hallway.

Zelda and Kafei had set out immediately towards Mr. Adler's Physical Science class, winding their way down the halls in the same general direction Sheik and Midna had vanished. In her head, she had the entire schematic mapped out for reference purposes: Ralph as the furthest away, nearly on the other side of the school in Miss Tina's room. The closest person to Ralph was Collin in Mrs. Ruul's room. She had no way of knowing if the two had managed to accomplish their tasks yet, or if something horrible had befallen them. Silently, she prayed to Nayru for their safety.

Next up was Zelda and Kafei, in the middle of the five; Mr. Adler's room was the closest to Collin, though still on the opposite half of the building, the library and staircase leading to the third floor separating the two. The next closest room to them would be Sheik and Midna's destination, Miss Dina's classroom. Link and Aryll were at the end of the building, more towards Professor Ezlo's class where she'd originally met Collin.

She supposed she should be grateful none of the classrooms were downstairs; whatever was going on down there did not sound pleasant. She highly doubted that any member of her group who ventured to the lower level would survive long, caught in the crossfire between the police and Ganondorf's flunkies.

Was it just her, or was the gunfire getting louder? Was the battle moving up to the second floor? And how long did they have before Ganondorf gave the signal?

"Here.", Kafei said unexpectedly, and Zelda had to pull up short to stop herself from plowing into Kafei's back. Leaning against a locker to catch her breath, she whispered softly, "You're sure?"

"Positive." He replied, nodding curtly. "Now, do you have a plan, or do we just wing it?"

Sighing, she stepped towards the plain wooden door and peered in through the tiny window to get a feel for the situation, trying her best to ignore the anxiety gnawing at her insides.

The classroom was set up just like all the others she'd been in, only this one boasted several long black counters in the back, complete with sinks and outlets for gas. Clearly, this was a science classroom. The students sat huddled in the back, cowering in a tiny cluster of bodies. Though the counters obscured some, she estimated about twenty students in total.

Angling her head to get a better view of the room, she quickly spotted the attacker; he was perched on the teacher's desk like a gargoyle, idly playing with the gun in his hand and casting frequent nervous glances towards the walkie-talkie that sat ominously on a the wood beside him.

Zelda felt ice settle in her abdomen. That was it… the cursed walkie-talkie. Any moment now, Ganondorf could give the signal. They needed to act, and fast.

Stepping back from the window, Zelda motioned Kafei closer so she could whisper instructions to him.

"Ok, listen, here's the plan: all of the hostages are in the back of the class, out of the way. The shooter is sitting on a desk. His back is to us. Just walk in and tell him to freeze or whatever, and I'll get the students to help me tie him up. But we need to hurry."

Kafei nodded, looking distracted. "And… if he attacks?"

Zelda gave him a meaningful look. "Then you'll need to be quicker."

"Gotcha." He said, giving her a reassuring grin. "This'll be a piece of cake."

"Nayru willing…" she mumbled under her breath as Kafei positioned himself in front of the door, gun in hand, his other on the door handle.

Holding up three fingers, Kafei began to count down.

One. Zelda swallowed gruffly, feeling her heart leap into her throat.

Two. Her pulse was quickening like mad. You know, maybe there was a better way to go about this…

"Three!" Kafei bellowed out the last number, throwing the door open with an almighty crash and leaping into the room, Zelda following, her blood pounding in her ears in terror.

"Don't move!" the purple-headed young man exclaimed, his gun pointed directly at the boy on the desk, his coat and hair billowing out behind him impressively.

The shooter turned to look at them, blinked in dull surprise, then without a word turned his pistol on them.

It was as if the world had gone to slow motion; she watched in horror as the boy's finger tightened, pulling the trigger with agonizing deliberation. Likewise, she saw a look of sudden surprise and panic take over Kafei's visage, and he tightened his finger as well. Zelda could see clearly, however. She knew, without knowing how, that the shooter's bullet would fire first. Even if Kafei still managed to pull the trigger, he was going to be hit. And the attacker's bullet would do so much more than cause pain…

Something akin to terror welled up inside of her. Ever fiber of her being was crying out against her friend being killed. She felt the mark on her hand flare, as though surging with energy. She needed to do something, to protect Kafei, to stop the attacker, but what? What?

Without warning, she felt an odd tugging sensation somewhere inside her naval, and a something pink seemed to flash on the shooter's gun.

The shooter pulled the trigger… and it clicked uselessly. Zelda only had a split-second to recognize the look of horrified disbelief before Kafei's weapon discharged with a bang.

The shooter stumbled backwards, clutching his chest with his free hand, crimson liquid blossoming between his fingers before, with a confused expression, he crumpled to the floor.

The room was completely silent for a long moment. Then another. And another. Kafei was standing motionless, his face pale and sweaty, his eyes wide. His entire body was trembling.

It took Zelda a moment to realize that she wasn't breathing at all. With a tortured gasp, she quickly inhaled and lowered the hands that she just now realized had been covering her mouth.

Turning to Kafei, she weakly mumbled "What…?"

Kafei shook his head numbly. "I don't know…"

The memory of the odd feeling in her gut and the strange flash weighed heavily on her mind. What had happened? She'd felt an odd surge of energy from the mark on her hand, then there'd been that strange tugging, and then…

A flash of pink on the shooter's gun. Then the gun hadn't worked.

Had… Had she done that? Somehow made the gun malfunction? No, no that was crazy! It's not like she was…

Hurriedly cramming her hand into her back pocket, she deftly drew out and unfolded the single sheet of paper she'd taken from Auru's room and quickly began scanning the neat lettering, her eyes darting from word to word with frantic haste, completely forgetting about Kafei, the now dead shooter, and the huddle of kids in the corner.

'Each Triforce piece is said to be a blessing from the Goddesses themselves, granting unique gifts and abilities upon those who bare them. Though not much is known about what abilities Power or Courage are said to grant, numerous old stories claim that the Princess of Destiny and other bearers of Wisdom were granted various gifts from the Goddess Nayru, such as precognition and telepathy, and an increased strength in Magic.'

'…An increased strength in Magic…'

Zelda felt her stomach drop out. Magic? Magic wasn't real! It was the stuff of stories and legends, it didn't exist anymore if it ever had at all! It was madness, sheer, utter madness! But then… hearing the Goddesses voice in your head and receiving visions of the future was supposedly madness as well…

"I think I'm going to be sick…" Zelda mumbled, refolding the paper and cramming it back into her pocket.

_Hurry, Daughter._

Inwardly cursing their time constraints, she hurriedly turned her attention to the awaiting gaggle of students, most of whom were climbing hesitantly to their feet, their eyes glued to their now-deceased captor.

"Everyone, listen up!" Zelda said loudly, adopting her no-nonsense tone. "The sounds of gunfire you hear coming from downstairs is the police. They're fighting their way through Ganondorf's men to get to you."

All at once, an explosion of excited whispers broke out amongst the students, relief and joy evident on their faces. A handful of them even burst into tears.

"Listen!" she called urgently, and they quickly quieted down, hanging on her every word. "Kafei and I came in here to save you. Ganondorf knows he's going to lose, and we overheard him say that he was going to order the rest of the students to be killed before the police could get to you."

Her pronouncement was met with a stunned pause. Taking advantage of their silence, Zelda quickly pressed on. "Now that your captor is… well, now that you're free, you need to stay in here. Going outside will only get you caught up in the fighting, and the police won't be able to protect you. Stay here, stay safe, and stay together. Someone will probably come to get you eventually."

Ignoring the sudden onslaught of questions, Zelda grabbed Kafei by the hand and dragged him toward the door, escaping from the room into the relative silence of the hallway. The distant sounds of fighting were not-so distant anymore. They'd move the battle up to the second floor any minute now.

"Ok, which way do we go now?" Zelda asked anxiously, calculating her options in her head. The closest people were Collin… or Midna and Sheik. Both directions had the same number of classrooms… However, Collin and Ralph's half of the building had only them, whereas her half had six. At the same time, Midna and Sheik were closer, and she had no way of knowing how long until the battle really did reach the second floor, and she didn't want to be caught up in the confusion…

"Going after Midna and Sheik is probably the smarter decision…" She mused aloud, pacing back and forth, nervously wringing her hands, "But Collin and Ralph are probably in need of backup… What do you think? …Kafei?"

"Yeah…" Kafei replied softly, and Zelda stared at him oddly before realizing that he clearly wasn't paying attention. The purple haired boy stood against the wall, his eyes locked intently on the gun on his hand. Pity welled up inside of her, and she bit her lip, thinking of something, anything to say.

"Kafei…?" Zelda said softly, hesitantly stepping closer. "Kafei, look at me…"

With obvious effort, Kafei tore his eyes away from the cold metal weapon in his hands, and Zelda felt her heart reach out to him. His eyes were hollow with grief and swimming with tears that he refused to shed. He was breaking down inside, but refusing to show it for her sake, and for the sake of the mission. Why did guys always try to be so strong?

"Kafei," she whispered softly, gently taking hold of his forearms. "You didn't have a choice. Don't blame yourself for this, it's not your fault…"

"Not my… Zelda, I just killed someone!" he exclaimed in disbelief, tearing his hands away from her and running them through his hair in frustration.

"If you hadn't, he would have killed the both of us! And then when Ganondorf gave the order, he would have killed everyone else in the room!"

"I know…" he groaned, massaging his eyes with the palms of his eyes. "I know, it's just…"

"Just… what? What is it, Kafei?"

"You don't know what it's like, do you?" he burst out angrily, gesticulating wildly with his arms. "You haven't been forced to take someone's life today, have you? Have you?"

Zelda blinked, unconsciously taking a step away from the enraged boy. "Er, n-no, but-"

"Then don't stand here and try to tell me it's all going to be ok!" He snarled savagely, and with a burst of senseless rage he turned and rammed his fist into the brick wall behind him.

Zelda winced, not relishing the cuts and bruised knuckles he likely had now. With a groan, he slumped against the wall, pressing his forehead against the cool bricks and letting his eyes drift closed.

"I'm… I'm a murderer…" He whispered, his voice sounding tortured. "A monster… What would Anju say?"

"Kafei Dotour." Zelda said sternly, trying hard to squash the slight emotional tremor in her voice, "Stop being an idiot. You're not a murderer, and you're definitely not a monster. Ganondorf is a monster. He and his little friends, they're the murderers. You're the exact opposite. You took his life because you had no choice, because it was the only way you could save yourself, and me, and those kids in their. You're a hero. And I know Anju would agree with me."

Kafei sighed and turned to face her, his eyes pools of sorrow and pain. "Maybe in there, Zelda. Maybe… But not earlier. Not with Sakon."

"Sakon?"

The purple-haired boy shook his head slowly, swallowing and clearing his throat gruffly before beginning. "Sakon… the one who shot Anju, remember? Earlier, me and Link were locked up in a closet in the Principal's office. We… We broke out and were going to make a run for it, but Sakon was there, hiding, waiting for us. He caught Link and threatened me that if I didn't surrender h-he was going to kill him."

His voice took on a raw, emotional quality, and Zelda felt her heart ache for him. "At first, I was just… overcome… by this senseless rage. I took my gun and just started shooting… without any care for Link's safety. I just wanted Sakon to pay for what he did to her, you know? Thank Din I missed him… I missed them both, actually. And once I managed to get a hold of myself, I gave up. I put my gun down, and then… Well, I'm not really sure what happened next. Link somehow broke free and they started fighting. I scrambled for my gun, but by the time I got it, it was over. Link had… done something, and Sakon was out. He wasn't moving. For all Link and I knew, he was dead. But I was just so angry, I… I told Link we had to make sure, so… So I shot him."

Kafei's voice broke at the end, and he turned away to hide the tears she knew were pouring down his cheeks. In her head, she could imagine the scene; Link and Kafei standing over Sakon's body… Kafei, his face a twisted mask of anger, telling Link they couldn't take any chances… Him slowly raising his gun…

"I still don't know who actually killed Sakon…" Kafei whispered hoarsely, still looking away. "If he was already dead before I pulled the trigger, or if I ended his life when he was already out of commission, but… Either way, what I did wasn't heroic. I let my hatred rule my actions. I'm no better than any of them… I'm a monster…"

Tears flooding her eyes, Zelda stepped forward and deftly wrapped her arms around Kafei's torso. He stiffened in surprise, but she held on all the tighter.

"You're not a monster, Kafei…" she mumbled into his chest, her tone pleading for him to listen. "Maybe what you did wasn't the most heroic action in the world, but… that doesn't make you a monster."

Kafei snorted. "Oh yeah? How do you figure that?"

"You feel remorse." She replied softly. "Something Ganondorf and his henchmen don't do. They don't care about the lives they take. But you… You participated in killing Sakon, a monster if I've ever met one, the man responsible for nearly murdering your girlfriend, one of the key orchestrators of today's attack, and look at you. You feel guilty. Most people would say you had every right to take his life, and that we're all better off for it, yet you're still upset with yourself. You're a better person than you think you are. Anju and Link would agree. So please… stop beating yourself up… We've all had to make difficult decisions today, and I still need you if we're going to save these students…"

There was a quiet pause, in which nothing could be heard but the sounds of gunfire steadily drawing nearer and Zelda's sniffling as she struggled to fight back her tears.

Suddenly, Kafei lifted his arms and wrapped them around Zelda's shoulders, drawing her nearer.

"Thank you…" He whispered softly, burying his face into her hair.

With a watery chuckle, Zelda gave him a squeeze before pulling back and looking him in the eye. They were still pained, but not near as hollow as before, and the tears seemed to have receded.

"Ready to go?" she asked, wiping her eyes and trying to sound brave.

He nodded. "Where to?"

"I guess… Sheik and Midna are closest. Let's go there first."

"Alright. Let's go kick some butt!"

With twin grins, the two friends set off down the hall towards Midna and Sheik. As they ran, Kafei turned to Zelda and said, "You know, you're pretty wise for an underclassman."

"You have no idea…" Zelda muttered, and he laughed, not catching the joke.

Almost as though in response to his words, Nayru's voice rumbled in her head like thunder.

_Hurry, Daughter…_

* * *

Pausing only momentarily to inhale deeply and to steel his nerves, Collin quickly turned the handle on the door in front of him, shouldered it open with a loud bang, and brought his stolen pistol up in the exact manner his father hand taught him, yelling "Freeze!" in his most authoritative voice.

The shooter, leaning against the far wall, stared at Collin, dumbstruck, a half-eaten Twinkie falling out of his mouth.

The class was a mess of overturned desks and discarded papers; clearly, this shooter wasn't particularly concerned with order. The students, numbering roughly fourteen or so, all sat clumped in the corner. They looked afraid, but not terrified like the others. More nervous than anything else, like a group of skittish horses that had been startled by a snake, but had since calmed down.

And there, sitting against the wall, his hands bound behind his back with duct tape, sat Ralph.

Collin felt some of the tension in his chest ease; so that's where he went… Well, at least he was still alive.

The red head had a sour expression on his face, clearly upset that his attempt at rescuing the class on his own had gone awry. He was captured, but he didn't seem to be injured in any way, other than the injury he'd sustained earlier fighting Veran. His trusty brass telescope was nowhere to be seen.

"Ah, Collin!" Ralph exclaimed, sounding delighted. "Excellent timing, good fellow! Er, you wouldn't mind lending me a hand, would you? I seem to be a little tied up at the moment…"

Collin ignored him for the moment, his focus maintained on the guard, who only now started to move. Ignoring the bits of half-chewed snack cake that plastered the front of his now-filthy shirt, the boy moved as though to grab the gun he'd discarded on the filing cabinet beside him.

Inhaling sharply, his heart rate increasing drastically, Collin tilted his hand to the side and pulled the trigger. With a blast, the bullet punched through the filing cabinet, making the shooter jump back with a girly squeal.

"Hands in the air!" Collin barked, hoping the edge in his voice would be taken as anger and not terror, like he knew it was. It was a miracle that his arms weren't shaking, but his legs might as well have been jell-o for all the stability he was getting.

The boy obeyed immediately, biting his lower lip, his weasel-like eyes darting back and forth as he searched for any form of escape.

Collin advanced slowly, making sure not to trip over one of the overturned desks. With every step that Collin advanced forward, the would-be shooter took one backward, up until he'd managed to back himself into the corner, his entire body trembling.

Now that he wasn't in imminent danger, Collin allowed himself to be a bit more observant. The quivering boy (he didn't know his name, from school or from his brief stint as Ganondorf's informer) in the corner was rather heavy-set, which explained the three empty boxes of Twinkies on the teacher's desk. His black extra-large t-shirt, stretched taut over his engorged belly, was plastered with bits of the spongy yellow treat, telling Collin that he was a slob. As if the state of the classroom hadn't informed him of that already.

Approaching the desk sideways, his pistol still trained on the boy, Collin licked his lips and slowly extended his free hand toward the cabinet. His fingers scrambled across the cold metal for a moment before snatching up the gun. Quickly stuffing it barrel-first into the waistband of his jeans, Collin scuttled back towards the door that he'd left ajar and closed it with his foot, feeling relief flood through him as the door snapped shut.

He'd done it. He'd saved the class.

Now to get them settled and move on.

"Ralph," Collin said quickly over his shoulder, "Come here so I can cut you free."

Ralph clambered to his feet awkwardly, struggling to rise without the use of his hands. When he'd finally managed it, he strode towards Collin with a dignified expression, as though trying to regain the honor he lost by being captured.

Sending the boy in the corner a warning look, Collin snatched a pair of scissors out of a mug on the teacher's desk and began hacking through Ralph's bindings as quickly as he dared, careful not to cut him.

"Excellent work." Ralph said, sounding just as haughty as ever. "Truly, I am in your debt. Though I should say that I had everything under control, of course."

"Of course." Collin muttered absently, struggling to work the scissors with one hand and keep his gun trained on the attacker.

"Everything went well on your end?""Just peachy." he replied, sighing with relief as he finally managed to cut Ralph free. "There you are." He added, tossing the scissors back on the desk and returning his free hand to his arm to steady his aim.

"Ah, splendid!" Ralph replied, tearing off the last shreds of the silver tape as he stepped back, massaging his wrists. "Though to be fair, you did have a slight advantage over me. You had a proper weapon. Why, if I had-"

"Well, now you do." Collin cut in, annoyed, tugging the reclaimed pistol out of his waistband and slapping it into Ralph's open palm.

He was right, in a way. Ralph probably would have been able to handle the room no problem if he'd had a gun like Collin did, but he didn't need to be so defensive about it. This wasn't a contest.

Turning his attention back to the room, Collin began issuing orders while Ralph admired his newfound toy with disturbing glee.

"You." Collin ordered, gesturing to the fat boy with his weapon, "Over there. On your knees."

"P-P-Please," The boy stammered, his voice surprisingly high-pitched, "I-I w-wasn't-"

"Shut up! Get over there, now!"

Sniveling, the boy hurried to obey, falling more than kneeling down onto the floor in front of the teacher's desk, tears falling down his pudgy face. Collin felt sick.

Positioning himself so he was behind the boy, he motioned to the teacher to rise and join him. Miss Dina, a thin, sour looking woman, appeared uneasy but rose to her feet anyway, carefully tiptoeing around students and furniture alike until she was at Collin's side. She sent the boy a quick, distasteful look from behind her gaudy, bejeweled spectacles before fixing Collin with a guarded look, her lips thinning.

"Miss Dina," Collin said softly, giving her what he hoped was a reassuring smile, "my name is Collin Smith."

"Ah, and I am Ralph Ambi, your hero and savior-"

"I know who you are, boy." Dina cut in flatly, effectively silencing Ralph. "The semester started three months ago. I'm perfectly capable of learning my own student's names."

Ralph flushed, abashed.

"Er, right…" Collin said slowly, feeling a little awkward. "Well, I need you to listen to what I'm going to tell you, and please don't interrupt; we don't have much time."

He added the last part as much for Ralph as for the teacher. Farore only knew they'd be in here forever if he decided to embellish upon Collin's every sentence.

Miss Dina regarded him thoughtfully for a moment before nodding, her garishly ornate dangling earrings swaying. The many rings on her fingers clinked together as she folded her arms. Dina, he knew, loved jewelry, and the tackier the better. He noticed her dress was wrinkled; she likely wasn't pleased about that.

Clearing his throat roughly, he pressed on. "The police have invaded the school. It's just a matter of minutes before they make it up here. Me and some friends discovered a plot by Ganondorf to order all of the remaining hostages be executed before the police could make it to them, which is why we're here. However, we need to go; there are other rooms that need help. Please, stay here, and keep your students inside; it's not safe to wander the halls right now."

If Miss Dina found anything outstanding or out of the ordinary in his admittedly bizarre tale, she didn't comment. Instead, she shot the sobbing boy on the floor a disgusted look and said, "And what do you suggest I do with him, pray tell?"

Collin shrugged, gun still trained on his back, his arms starting to feel a little stiff from being held up for so long. "Tie him up. Shoe laces, backpack straps, duct tape, whatever. Just make sure you stay here. And try to keep quiet; it sounds like the battle's gonna reach the second floor any second now, and we don't want the attackers to realize you're here and try to finish their job."

"And if things get out of hand?" She replied quietly, giving him an unreadable glance. She was eyeing Collin's gun with interest.

Collin groaned inwardly; what, was he supposed to come up with everything? No way he was giving her his only form of protection. Forget that.

"I dunno. Hide? Fight them off with Ralph's telescope? Whatever, just do what you have to do."

She inhaled slowly, looking thoroughly displeased that he hadn't offered her his weapon, but he decided to ignore it. They were running out of time. The fight downstairs would reach their floor any minute now. It was only a matter of time before he wasn't able to navigate the halls safely, and Zelda could be in danger like Ralph was. Curse him for allowing her to wander off unarmed…

"Right." He said, anxious to get a move on. "Well… Ok then. See you later."

Turning on his heel and ignoring the curious glances of the newly liberated students, he quickly made a break for the door, his thoughts whirling in his head. Ralph followed quickly at his heels, appearing anxious to get away from Dina and her bitter disposition.

"Mr. Smith!"

Freezing, his hand on the doorknob, Collin took a deep, steadying breath, then turned back to face Miss Dina, bracing himself for whatever overly-judgmental comment she was about to throw at him.

She examined him for a moment through her glasses, giving him a once-over with her beady eyes before gathering herself up primly and saying, "Thank you."

Collin stared, dumbstruck.

"It's a relief to see there are still boys of valor in this school. I was beginning to lose hope." She shot Ralph a disgusted look, making him bristle indignantly, his jaw hanging open as he struggled to find the words to defend himself.

And with that, she turned her back on them and began issuing orders to the students in the corner regarding their new captive, snatching up a meter stick and holding it aloft like a rapier.

Flabbergasted, Collin slowly turned the handle and exited back into the hall, his head spinning. Miss Dina had never complimented anyone to his knowledge in her entire time as a teacher at this school. She was a stiff old woman, one who brooked no nonsense and never showed any sense of humor or compassion for weakness. And yet, she'd thanked him…

A small smile crept onto his face as he jogged quickly down the hallway.

She thought he had valor. Maybe he did… after all, he'd just risked his life, again, to save a group of strangers and his overly flamboyant comrade. It'd be much easier to just hide in the bathroom until the Police had cleared the area.

If only Aryll could see him now…

Aryll…

His smile vanished instantly. Aryll… Would she ever forgive him? He knew what he'd done was wrong, but… Could he really be blamed?

He squashed that thought vehemently. Yes, he could be blamed. Sure, he'd do anything to protect her, but he'd effectively sacrificed the lives of everyone who'd died today. To be fair, there was no guarantee that the police would have been able to break through any earlier than now. It's entirely possible that his giving the frequency to Ganondorf had changed nothing in the overall scheme of things. But if he was being honest, it probably bought Ganon an hour or two, if not more. Lives had been lost because of what Collin had done… He wasn't deserving of Aryll's forgiveness…

Still… He'd turned around, hadn't he? He'd joined Zelda and warned the police, effectively countering the mistake he had made. He'd helped get the police in, and now, because of his assistance, all of the other captives would be freed soon. And he was even helping to save the rest of the captives at great personal risk on the possibility (Zelda seemed to think it was a fact, but she never revealed her source, if she even had one) that they'd be killed before they could be saved. Surely, that had to count for something… right?

Collin took a deep breath, fighting the weight of guilt that threatened to swallow him as they turned a corner and continued on, Ralph's jaw still working furiously without a sound. She'd never agree to go out with him again, but… if he could just get her to forgive him… even a tentative friendship would mean the world to him. He cared about her opinion so much…

A frown tugged its way onto his face. Where was Aryll anyway? She'd left with Midna and Sheik to save Link a while ago. Link, Collin knew, was being held upstairs in the main office, so it was safe enough to assume that was where she was. There was no reason for them to have ventured downstairs amidst the chaos… Unless they'd somehow already managed to rescue him, and they'd been trying to find an exit…

Shaking his head roughly, he shook the thought off. There was no point in dwelling on it now; he had to believe Aryll was safe, else he wouldn't have the strength to do what he knew needed to be done.

As he and Ralph rounded yet another corner, they were hit by a wave of sound; screams, stampeding footsteps, and the overwhelming sound of gunfire, all of it emanating from just down the hall.

The battle had finally reached the second floor.

Gut-wrenching fear suddenly seized Collin, and he felt himself break out in a cold sweat as he cast his eyes about for a place for them to hide. Din blast it, he needed to get to Zelda! He was so close!

"Is that… Is that the battle?" Ralph asked, breaking the silence that had hung over the two since they'd left Dina's class. He sounded anxious, but not in the excited way he had been earlier. The pistol was shaking slightly in his hands, and his face had gone pale.

Noticing the door for a classroom he knew would be empty about ten feet ahead on the left, Collin made a break for it, snagging Ralph's arm and towing him along, easing the pistol in his hand, his breath coming in frantic pants.

Before he could make it two steps, three figures rounded the corner, running full speed towards him.

The only reason Collin and Ralph still lived was because all three were facing back the way they came from, firing randomly at their pursuers. Two held pistols, but the third carried a glock; a one-handed machine pistol. He was providing the cover fire for his comrades, and if the shouts echoing from down the hall were any indication, the Police were being prevented from advancing because of it.

Inwardly praising Nayru for his father being a cop and forcing him to learn how a use a gun, Collin dropped swiftly to one knee, aiming his pistol with one hand and steadying his arm with the other.

He took a quick, deep breath.

The first bullet took the machine gunner in the back, causing him to cry out in alarm and pain before falling to the ground, his gun spewing bullets randomly into the lockers and ceiling, the ping of ricocheting metal nearly drowning out all other noise. Before he fell, Collin had already turned to fire his second bullet, catching one of the other shooters about mid-thigh. He staggered backward, miraculously still on his feet until one of the bullets from the machine gunner bounced off of the metal surface of the locker and struck him in the chest. He fell without a sound.

The third one was smarter than his comrade. As soon as he heard the machine gunner cry out, he'd let out a loud curse and turned to the side and darted down an adjacent hallway, Collin's bullet missing him by a matter of inches and gauging a deep furrow into the brick wall.

The machine gunner had finally stopped shooting, and for a moment all was silent. Collin panted heavily, feeling spent; who knew shooting a gun took so much out of you?

Something sick settled into the pit of Collin's stomach.

I just killed two people…

"That…" Ralph said, his tone flabbergasted, "was amazing! Where on earth did you learn to shoot like that?"

"My father." He replied gruffly, not exactly feeling proud of his achievement.

At the sound of the approaching voices at the end of the hall, Collin stiffened, panic overwhelming any and all logical thought processes. What if he was wrong? What if it wasn't the police coming towards him? He'd be trapped with nowhere to go…

Hurriedly scrambling to his feet, he darted to the door he'd previously noticed and threw it open, entering the dark, empty room. Ralph followed him without a word, and Collin shut the door quickly behind him, leaving it barely cracked open so he could see outside.

His breathing was frantic, and his heart was pounding uncontrollably in his chest. He'd just killed… The battle was… Were they police coming towards him, or… What about his father? Zelda? Aryll? What was he going to do?

At the sound of quickly nearing footsteps, Collin felt his grip on the now-warm pistol in his hands tighten, and he hurriedly stilled his breathing, leaning his shoulder against the wall, all of his attention on the narrow strip of light just before his eyes, Ralph leaning over his shoulder to get a better look.

Suddenly, the forms of two black-clad men darted past. He could see the bullet-proof vests, the standard-issue rifles gripped in their hands, the white words 'S.W.A.T.' imprinted on nearly every part of their person. And, most importantly, the golden star on the chest of the man in front, glinting in the dim fluorescent lighting…

Collin's chest tightened painfully, and he felt his grip on the gun in his hand slacken in shock.

"Dad…?" he whispered softly, hardly daring to believe what he'd seen.

Before he could come to grips with what he'd witnessed, another movement in the hall caught his attention: a boy was creeping slowly down the hall after his father, a pistol held in his hand, a look of triumph on his face. As he passed out of Collin's line of sight, dread sunk into the pit of his stomach; the third shooter… he'd waited til the cops passed, then went after them.

He was going to kill them while their backs were turned.

Fear and anger suddenly coursing through him, Collin clenched his teeth, seething, and threw the door open, stepping back out into the hallway.

He paused for only a second to examine the hallway before him: two police officers stalking quietly down the hall, one wearing a blue collared shirt beneath his vest and a familiar silver watch on his left arm, and behind them a boy who was silently raising his gun to point at their retreating backs.

"Stop, villain!" Ralph bellowed unexpectedly, catching Collin by surprise, and as all three males turned to face the sudden noise, he quickly brought his pistol up and fired.

Ralph, however, had absolutely no training with fire arms. Having not prepared himself for the kickback, the gun flew out of his hand as soon as he pulled the trigger, landing with a clatter, the bullet lodging into a locker ten feet away from his intended target.

The boy, realizing he'd been caught, sneered darkly and tried to turn his gun, but before he made it even halfway, Collin's bullet took him through the chest.

The boy jerked backward, a surprised look flashing across his face before he dropped to the floor beside his gun. He didn't move again.

Panting heavily, Collin slowly lowered his gun, his gaze fixed on the shooter's inert form while Ralph hurriedly scrambled across the floor to reclaim his weapon, his face as red as his hair.

Now I've killed three…

Down the hall, a familiar voice pierced through his thoughts, bringing him back to reality.

"Put your gun down, Shiro! That's Collin! That's my son!"

Collin waited patiently as his father jogged quickly back down the hall to join him, Shiro following more slowly, keeping an eye on the surrounding area.

When his father was within earshot, Collin turned to him slowly, his heart heavy with remorse as he realized what he had to do. He needed to explain to his father what he'd done, the truth about his betrayal. How would he react? Was he in legal trouble? Would his own father have to arrest him?

"Dad," he began, his voice croaking, "I-"

Collin suddenly found himself swept up in a fatherly embrace, effectively cutting off what he was going to say.

"Oh, Collin…" his father whispered, holding him tight. "You're alright! Your mother and I, we've been… so worried about you…"

"I'm sorry…" Collin replied, letting his arms encircle his father's waist.

"No!" he said quickly, laughing a little, "No, don't be, it's not your fault! I'm just… so relieved that you're…"

Collin felt sick. Not his fault? Maybe not, but he certainly hadn't helped matters. He had a feeling his father wouldn't be to pleased to learn his son had been the reason why it took so long to get in here. But still… he had to tell him. He needed to know the truth.

"Dad…" Collin said, trying to start again, but Rusl suddenly pushed him out to arms length, giving him a quick once-over with his eyes.

"You're not harmed, are you?" He asked quickly, "Uli will kill me if anything's happened to you."

"No, Dad, I'm fine, but-"

"That was a good shot." He said, over riding Collin once again. "You've gotten pretty good. You'll be a shoo-in at the academy when you're older, no doubt about it."

"Dad-"

"Who's your friend? Why are you in the hallway? I specifically told you-"

"DAD!"

Rusl blinked, looking astounded that his son had just shouted at him. Collin flushed slightly, but kept his gaze determined. "Dad, please, I need to tell you something."

"Well, what is it? Speak up, son, I'm listening." Rusl replied lightly, looking uneasy.

Collin took a deep breath, struggling to steel his nerves.

"Dad, I-"

"Rusl, we don't have time for this." Shiro cut in from the side, casting nervous glances down both sides of the hallway. "We need to move if we're going to get Collin and his friend out of here before we get attacked again."

"What?" Collin blurted out, alarmed.

"Right…" his father muttered, looking troubled. "I don't suppose you know how we're going to do this, do you? Maybe we can leave them in a classroom until things are safe-"

"I'm not being left behind, and I'm not leaving!"

Both his father and Officer Shiro sent Collin blank looks.

"I'm sorry?"

"Collin, be reasonable. We can't let a minor roam around-"

"Listen!" he spat, growing impatient. "Don't give me that garbage about me being a minor. I've been doing fine without you til now. My friends need me; I'm not about to abandon them simply because my Dad's the chief of police and I get special treatment."

"Collin," his dad said, adopting a lecturing tone, but Collin cut him off.

"Aryll's still in here. I'm not leaving without her. And Zelda's counting on me and Ralph, we're not about to abandon her."

"Righto! We shall never abandon a woman in need! Onward the fight!" Ralph cried valiantly. He was promptly ignored.

Shiro looked annoyed, but Rusl's adopted a pensive expression.

"Zelda?" he said curiously, "You mean Zelda Harkinian?"

Collin blinked. "What? I don't know what her last name is, I only met her today. But that's not important! She needs my help!"

"Collin, she needs to be rescued, and that's why your father and I are here. Let us do the dangerous work; you've done enough as it is."

If he was annoyed before, Collin was furious now. They just weren't listening to him! They were treating him like a child! As if any of them were children after today.

Resorting to Zelda's story, Collin angrily blurted out, "Ganondorf is about to issue an order to his people who are guarding the last of the students. He's going to tell them to kill them before you can get to them. There were six rooms. Me, Zelda, and Ralph saved one group, then split up to help the others. I did one room, Ralph did another," He carefully left out the part where he had to rescue the red head, for his sake, "but that still leaves three, and I don't know how much time we have left or how Zelda's doing by herself. She needs us. They need us."

"Collin," Shiro said, sounding frustrated, but Collin cut him off.

"That's about thirty students for us. How many have you two saved?"

That brought about a stunned silence.

"Exactly. Of the four of us, we seem to be the only ones who know what we're doing. More importantly, we're the only one who seems to be remembering that there are more lives than ours at stake right now. Those students need me. Zelda and Aryll need me. But we can't do it alone. Dad, Officer Shiro, we need you, and you need us. I know where the students are, and I know my way around the school. Please… Let me help."

He hadn't meant to sound pleading at the end, but he couldn't change anything now. All he could do was stand there and stare determinedly into his father's impassive face and silently please with the goddesses that he listen to him just this once…

After what felt like an eternity in the relative silence that was broken only by the sounds of gunfire and screaming that echoed ever nearer in the halls, his father gave a weary sigh and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Shiro… my boy has a point."

Collin and Shiro adopted twin looks of shock.

"S-Sir, you can't be serious!"

"But I am, Shiro." he said simply. "If we turned back to escort Collin out of here, we'd be being selfish. There are other student's who's lives are in danger, and if Collin is correct, we don't have a lot of time to save them. He'll need to be our guide. I don't like it, but… I think it's our only option."

Shiro swallowed back his response, shaking his head for a moment and looking furious. Finally, he said, "…You're right, sir. You're right… But I wish there was another way."

Nodding, his father turned his gaze back to Collin. "We'll need to move fast, and together. You two stay behind us, you hear? And leave the fighting to us unless absolutely necessary. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!" Collin said, feeling elated.

"It would be my honor." Ralph replied, performing another odd bow.

Rusl nodded, looking at Ralph askance as he adjusted his rifle in his hands. "Then let's get going. Where to first?"

"Zelda said she was going to Mr. Adler's room. It's on the other half of the building."

He nodded curtly, and together the four set off at a trot, Shiro in the lead, Collin jogging beside his father, Ralph bringing up the rear.

"Your mother will be so proud when she hears about this." Rusl said quietly. "And then she's probably going to kill me."

Collin laughed, shaking his head ruefully before turning his attention back to the job at hand. _Zelda_, he thought desperately, _Aryll… hold on. We're on our way_.

* * *

Ganondorf's footsteps thundered down the narrow staircase, his eyes blazing with malevolent rage. Every footstep echoed in the stairwell, impacting like a hammer with the force of his hulking size. He clenched his fists in fury, the sound of his cracking knuckles reverberating like a staccato of gunshots.

Hero was missing.

He'd made a bee-line for his base of operations as soon as he'd realized the Police has foiled his plans, intending on ending Hero's life and claiming Power once and for all. But when he'd arrived at the main office, the door was ajar, Hero was gone, and Sakon's body was lying on the floor amidst a pile of dirt and broken pottery.

Rage had welled within him like an inferno at that moment, the flames licking at his heart, consuming him from the inside. All his planning, his hard work, for naught…

Arriving in the abandoned hallway before the library, he struggled to hold in the anger that was building steadily in his chest. With a wordless roar, he spun on the spot, driving his fist into the wall beside him, sending shockwaves through his arm. His blood was pounding in his ears, drowning out the pain he knew he should be feeling. Growling, he turned and continued on down the hall towards the nearest staircase. There must be something… some way he could find Hero… Some way he could still obtain the Power he sought.

He needed to do… something. Something to direct all this anger, to channel his destructive urges. He wanted to destroy, to maim, to kill… To punish those who had caused his plans to fall asunder… But how? Alone, he knew he would be more than a match for any of them. But united, he would not deceive himself and believe he could take on the entire police force. Not without having claimed the Triforce first…

At the thought of the police, the image of Rusl Smith came unbidden to his mind, and he sneered savagely. What he wouldn't give to kill that man… Why, right now, he was likely reuniting with that precious son of his and was on his way to saving the rest of their captives…

Captives…

With a sinister grin, he whipped the walkie talkie out from within his large dark overcoat and turned, prowling down an adjacent hallway. Perhaps he couldn't kill Smith outright… but he could make sure he had no one to save.

With fiendish glee, he held the small metallic device up to his mouth and pressed the button. "This is Ganondorf. Heed my words. The police have infiltrated the school. We have been compromised. Any moment now, they will be upon you, and will kill you without hesitation."

Yes… the same was also true for him. There was no way he'd be escaping this school alive, or else not in custody. This was his only chance. He needed to make it count.

"Here are you final orders:" he continued, not waiting for a response. "Kill everyone. Leave no survivors. Let Hyrule forever remember your deeds this day. That is all."

He half expected Veran to call him back as she was so wont to do, and he was pleasantly surprised when she didn't; as if he needed the added irritation. Perhaps she was finally learning her place… though it was more likely she was scared witless by his pronouncement. It was true, however. Veran wasn't going to make it out of the building alive, and Ganondorf couldn't help but grin at the thought.

The sound of the raging battle had finally managed to make it to the second floor, though it had yet to reach him. For the moment, the battle was contained at the ends of either hallway as his forces struggled to keep back the obviously better trained and equipped police officers. It was likely the police would make it up the stairs in the center of the school, the ones closest to his position, in only a matter of moments, and for that reason Ganondorf knew he had to move.

Letting his feet carry him blindly forward, he retreated into his pensive musings.

The only hope for salvaging his plan was if he somehow found Hero before the police could completely overthrow his forces; an inevitability, and one that would come very, very soon.

However, searching out Hero was foolish. Though it was likely he was trapped on the second floor, just like Ganondorf, it was still a large school. He wouldn't have time to search the entire thing before Smith found him.

If only there was some way he could make Hero come to him…

Ganon's brows drew together and he frowned thoughtfully. Make Hero come to him? But how? How could he even communicate with his prey if he didn't know where he was?

An increase of gunfire and a gurgled cry of pain in the distance punctuated his thoughts, but he pushed them away. Casting his gaze about as he walked, his eyes alighted on a circular metal speaker on the ceiling, and he smirked.

Of course. The PA system. If he made his way back to the main office, he could use the speakers to communicate with Hero directly, no matter where he was in the building.

But Hero was no fool; he would charge up to the third floor alone simply because Ganondorf told him to, and if he tried his plan now, the police would surely come flocking to him like pigeons to a bread crumb, eager to take him down.

No… He needed to be careful, conniving… He needed an ace in the hole, something to ensure that Hero did what he said…

He needed a hostage.

But not just any hostage, Ganondorf mused, turning a swiftly as the sounds of battle drew nearer, more screams and gunshots echoing just down the hall, the entire school seeming to shake from the wrack of the battle. He needed someone close to Hero, someone he'd willingly risk his life for.

The first person who came to mind was his brat of a sister, but he discarded it. There was little chance the girl remained in the school; the police's presence insured, if nothing else, that Collin had made it out with the girl in tow and had warned his father of Ganondorf's plans. A foolish mistake indeed, allowing the boy to leave, and one that he was now paying for dearly.

Indeed, Aryll Hero was not an option. However… who else was there? Shadow? A possibility, though whether Hero would risk his life for the best friend who had betrayed him was another story. Perhaps Twili then? Would Hero sacrifice himself to save his best friend's girl?

Ganondorf scowled darkly, anger and frustration building inside of him as he considered the futility of his plans.

Was he never destined to obtain the Power he sought? Was he too weak, too feeble, to hold that piece of the sacred triangle that he so desperately desired?

Or… Perhaps was it that the Goddesses feared him? That they knew of the strength he'd obtain, that he'd one day rise up and take their places? Yes… Yes, that must be it… They were interfering.

But… The Goddesses never directly interfered in the lives of mortals. They were too far below their notice. No, they couldn't be the cause of his downfall this day…

Unless…

Ganondorf's pacing slowed to a stop, his eyes wide as the realization hit him.

Of course… It was so obvious, why had he not seen it earlier?

The Triforce pieces called out to each other, drawing the bearers together like magnets, yearning to be hole once more.

The Triforce of Power was nearly complete, the golden insignia glowing on the back of his hand. And if one piece was here… the others likely were as well.

Courage and Wisdom. They were here, in the school, right now. They must be. There was no other logical answer. How else could his plans be upended?

But who? Who were they? In who's faces would he see the semblance of his age-old enemies, the Hero of Time and the Princess of Destiny?

Hero of Time… Hero…

Yes… It could only be him. The Hero of Time was surely Link Hero, his mortal enemy. It explained so much.

His greatest foe, come once again to thwart his plans. Well, not this time. This time, he would crush him, squeeze the life out of him until his third of the Triforce was in Ganon's possession. Then he would move on to Wisdom, wherever she was. She would come to him, of course. It was fate. Their meeting was destiny. It was always destiny.

Something surged inside of him then, a strength and energy he'd never before experienced. It flowed through him, golden and sweet, making his eyes widen and his nerves tingle with expectation. The back of his right hand burned, as though yearning for Ganon to move, to find the other two pieces and claim them for his own so it could be reunited with its missing pieces.

Ganondorf turned on the spot, his head suddenly clear. He no longer cared for the battle at hand; it didn't matter if the police overthrew his men. There was only one thing on his mind, and one thing only.

Find Hero.

With his newfound drive, Ganondorf's sojourn through the battle-torn school building no longer felt harried or harassed. He was completely at ease as he strode down the halls, apathetic towards the sounds of pain and death that reverberated off of the cold, empty lockers and grungy tiled floors.

Turning down the nearest hallway, he was met with an interesting site; before him, facing away, crouched three officers. They knelt behind opened doors, two on the left and one on the right, trusting the heavy, aged wood to give some cover from the bullets raining down on them from the opposite end of the hall, where two of Ganondorf's own cronies were situated in a similar position.

Never breaking stride, Ganon drew the gun from his pocket and deftly shot the first officer in the back of the neck. He dropped like a sack of bricks.

The second and third turned back, surprise and alarm evident on their faces, but before they could react Ganon pulled the trigger twice more, and they too fell to the ground, motionless.

His men cheered savagely as Ganondorf drew near, patting each other on the back and heaping him with praises. His expression never changed as he raised his gone once again and shot the first boy in the chest.

He fell with a cry of pain, and his companion's jaw dropped.

"Wha-?"

Ganon's bullet caught him in the throat, and he fell with a gurgle.

Calmly, Ganondorf continued on down the hall.

It wasn't until he was nearly back at the library that Ganondorf finally halted just before an intersecting hallway, the sound of voices reaching his ears.

Pressing his back against the wall, he eased the gun in his hand, preparing to take them out.

The words that drifted to his ears, however, made him pause. "…that difficult, Sheik."

Ganondorf's eyebrows rose in surprise. Sheik? Sheik Shadow, the traitor?

"Aw, come on Midna!" the familiar voice whined back playfully. "You know it was hot. Don't try to deny it."

He heard a teasing snort and an 'oof!' as he assumed Twili shoved him before she responded sarcastically, "Oh yeah, let me tell you… It was a massive turn-on watching Kafei bust in and rescue you."

Ganondorf, who'd been preparing to turn down the hallway and capture Hero's two unwitting best friends, hardly daring to believe his luck, froze at Twili's last words. Kafei? They weren't alone?

Shadow let out an indignant grunt and muttered sourly, "I had everything under control…"

"Sure ya did, sweetie." Twili replied lightly, and there was a spatter of feminine laughter; there was more than one female in their group. How many were there, anyway? He was tempted to peer around the corner to gauge the situation, but he didn't want to give himself away yet. He couldn't risk giving up what could be his only chance to capture Link's two best friends, his only bargaining chips.

"Look," Shadow said, sounding impatient and a little hurt, "How was I supposed to know the guy had another gun? Everyone else in this school only seems to be carrying one. He caught me by surprise, that's all."

"Ah, don't worry, Sheik," A new voice spoke up, sounding suave and confident, "It's not her fault my innate sexiness overshadowed you. It's a fact of life that you'll need to get used to."

There was another ripple of laughter, during which Shadow let out a sarcastic "Yeah, yeah, shut up…" and the second boy, Kafei, said, "Come on, Zel, back me up here!"

A new voice, female, and slightly higher in pitch than Twili, let out a bemused chuckle before saying, "Sorry, Kafei. Black trench coats don't really do it for me. Besides, aren't you already taken? What would Anju say if she could hear you right now?"

"Probably that she agrees, that I'm unbelievably sexy and she's lucky to have a god like me in her life."

Shadow let out a snort of laughter, and Twili deadpanned, "And so humble. What a catch."

"What can I say?" Kafei responded cheekily, "It's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way. Right, Zelda?"

"Why do you keep asking me?" she asked, laughing.

"Because you're the only other single girl here, obviously. I can't be asking Midna, Sheik might start getting jealous!"

"Oh, I don't think there's any chance of that, bud."

"Besides, Zelda's already stolen the heart of a certain blonde haired, blue eyed acquaintance of ours…"

"W-what? N-no, I-"

"Oh come on, Zelly." Twili said loudly, drowning her out, "We all know you like him. You're wearing his sweater, for Farore's sake. Besides, he couldn't take his eyes off you when you two crashed into each other. Plus there was the whole 'laying on top of him for an extended period of time' thing…"

Ganondorf, who was quickly growing tired of the puerile conversation, felt himself tense in excitement at this Zelda girl's next line.

"Midna, come on! Link and I are just friends! We're not even technically that yet, I just met him yesterday, and not exactly under the best of circumstances if you remember correctly…"

Did this girl have some sort of romantic connection with his prey, Link Hero? This could be just what he needed… If he takes the object of Link's affection to the office and then makes his announcement, Hero will have no choice but to come running… He'll need to make it clear that if any police come, the girl will die. That ought to be enough to make certain that his demands met.

There he was, at the end of his rope, and the Goddesses deliver to him his last chance as an act of divine providence…

But how was he to get her alone?

"Oh, I remember. You certainly swept him off his feet." Twili tittered girlishly, and Zelda groaned.

"I think we're getting a little off topic here, guys…" she mumbled petulantly, and one of the males sighed.

"She's right. Ganondorf already gave the order to exterminate all the students over the walkie. That was like, five minutes ago. We need to go check up on the others and make sure everything went ok."

Ganon felt his eye twitch; so, his orders were being thwarted by this rag-tag group of wanna-be heroes? Disgusting… Well, soon enough they'll realize that all of their plans were for naught. Just as soon as he found a way to snag the girl…

"You're right…" Twili replied, sounding resigned, then suddenly adopted a brisk, business-like tone, "So, where to?"

"Well…" Zelda's voice replied, sounding thoughtful, "There are only three more rooms. Link and Aryll have one, Ralph has another, and Collin has the last one."

"Collin? Collin Smith?" Shadow exclaimed, mirroring the surprise Ganondorf felt. "You mean he's still here?"

"Yes?" Zelda asked, confused. "He's been helping me since the beginning. Why, do you know him?"

"Er… yeah." Shadow replied, sounding uncomfortable. "He's Aryll's boyfriend. Or, ex I guess. They sorta had a fight earlier and-"

"Ok, really? Does now seem like the best time to be discussing relationship drama?" Twili cut in, sounding aggravated.

There was a bark of masculine laughter, followed by Kafei saying, "Well if this isn't a case of the pot calling the kettle black! What was all that a minute ago about Zelda and Link?"

"It's not important right now!" She retorted, "Zelda's right, we need to get moving. It sounds like the police could reach us at any moment!"

"Right, so, Mid and I will go after Link and his precious pixie sister." Sheik said, ending the brief argument. "What about you two?"

"Zel?"

"Well… I guess we go for Collin. He's on the other side of the building though, so…"

"Right. Be careful guys."

"You too."

"Later."

As the sound of footsteps both faded off into the distance and drew nearer, Ganondorf realized the group must have broken up, and he prepared himself to move. He didn't even bother to check if the duo heading towards him was the correct one; something told him the girl was headed towards him. It was almost as if he could feel her drawing nearer…

With relaxed indifference, Ganondorf stepped slowly around the corner, stopping dead center in the middle of the hall, a triumphant smile sitting cruelly on his face.

The two teens who had been walking toward him froze in place, expressions flitting from confusion to shocked realization to terror in a matter of seconds.

"Ganondorf…" The blonde haired girl breathed weakly, her face going ghostly pale.

"Correct." he replied monotonously, enjoying the trill of fear he saw run through the two at the sound of his voice. Something strange was happening… almost like a buzzing, something echoing in his core. It was almost as though the air was charged with electricity. The back of his right hand prickled in anticipation.

"You…" the boy growled, his face distorting in rage below a mop of bizarre purple hair, and in a flash he'd raised his arm, a black pistol flashing in his hands, aimed right at Ganon's heart.

He was too slow. Before the boy had even managed to take aim, Ganondorf's finger was pulling the trigger, and with a bang and a scream of pain, the gun went flying from the boy's hand, landing with a clatter behind him.

The boy hissed as he examined his hand, the bullet having ricocheted off of the gun and grazed his fingers, leaving a bloody red gash across four of his digits. Blood dripping on the floor, he turned his hate-filled gaze on Ganon, clearly seething, and whispered softly, "Zelda… Run…"

Before she had a chance to respond, he charged forward, bringing his uninjured hand back as though to strike. Calmly, Ganondorf angled his gun lower and fired once again, blowing a hole in the boy's shin.

He fell to the floor with an agonized scream, clutching at his ruined appendage.

"Kafei!" Zelda cried out in desperation, surging forward to help her fallen friend.

"Don't move!" Ganondorf barked, turning his pistol on the girl, and she froze in terror, her breathing erratic.

The girl's fierce, tear filled amaranthine eyes locked with Ganon's, and the odd buzzing sensation seemed to magnify.

"What do you want?" she whispered fearfully, and Ganondorf couldn't help but smirk.

"To go on a little… field trip." he replied lightly, then darted forward suddenly, seizing her by her forearm and dragging her forward.

"N-No! Stop, I-"

The girl's desperate pleading cut off suddenly, her eyes growing wide as a sudden jolt of electricity surged between the two, making Ganondorf's hair stand on end.

"What…?" The girl whispered softly, a dazed expression on her face.

Ganondorf, however, was silent with shock.

The Sacred Triforce insignia on the back of his hand was glowing with a fierce golden light, sending shockwaves of energy through his body, making his every particle seem to hum. But that wasn't the most surprising part.

There was another Triforce, this one on the back of the girl's hand. And it was glowing just as brightly.

A slow, cruel smile split Ganondorf's face in two, and his shoulders began to shake with silent laughter.

He had found her at long last… The Princess of Destiny… and it had been completely by accident.

Ganon could no longer help himself; throwing his head backward, he let out a roar of laughter that echoed throughout the halls.

"W-what's going on?" The girl stammered, trying in vain to break free of Ganondorf's grip. "Why is it… Why are you… What are you going to do with me?"

Tilting his hand so the girl could see the glowing symbol on the back of his hand that mirrored her own, he felt a perverse sort of pleasure filter through him as her face paled and her knees went weak.

"Come, Princess," He chuckled darkly, turning around and dragging her weakly protesting body behind him. "Our Destiny awaits us."

* * *

Link hadn't been out of the classroom for more than two minutes before he was brought to a screeching halt, his vans squealing on the grimy tile floor. His little sister Aryll who had been jogging beside him paused too, shooting her brother a look bordering on hysteria.

"Link? What are you doing? We can't stop here, we need to move!"

He opened his mouth to reply, but stopped as he was once again seized by an overwhelming feeling of dread. He couldn't quite explain it, but it was as though something was trying to tell him something, to give him a warning.

Something was wrong. He didn't know what, or where, or why, but knew he was right. Something had happened. Something wasn't right.

"Link!" his little sister exclaimed again, her voice shrill, and Link shook his head quickly, dispelling the confusing thoughts. Now wasn't the time to worry about things he couldn't explain or understand. Right now, they needed to get moving.

Casting his sister an apologetic smile, he started up running again, grabbing her hand with his right, the pistol held aloft in his left, ready for anything that might come at them.

Rescuing the students being held captive in Dr. Left's History class was actually a breeze; leaving Aryll in the hall as a lookout, though in reality it was because he didn't want her present if anything went awry, Link had busted into the dimly lit, cluttered classroom only to discover that the student's were in no need of protection. The shooter who Ganondorf had left in charge had apparently panicked and had shot himself not even twenty minutes earlier; the class had simply been to terrified to leave the room.

Link had explained the situation to them, suggested that they stay were they were and out of harms way, then had immediately left, towing his overly-enthusiastic sister alongside him as they raced back towards their friends, eager to check up on how their missions had gone. Aryll, of course, was convinced that Link's haste was simply because he wanted to check on Zelda. He'd ignored her teasing, trying to hide the slight pink tinge that adorned his cheeks. Din curse all little sisters…

Link had assumed that, with his assigned classroom behind him, they were finally out of danger. That as soon as he managed to rendezvous with Zelda, Sheik, Midna, and Kafei, they'd be able to take shelter in an abandoned classroom until the police arrived, and then everything would be ok.

They'd be able to leave this goddess forsaken school. He'd be able to hug his Grandma again, proud that he managed to find Aryll and keep her safe, that no more of his family members would be lost. He'd be able to check up on Anju in the hospital, find out if Shad and Ashei had made it out alright, see how Darunia and Ruto were doing, find some way to prevent Sheik from going to jail, spend time with Zelda…

Of course, the Goddesses weren't very keen on letting things go the way Link planned.

No sooner had Link and Aryll passed the first available intersection then it happened; the battle they'd heard raging downstairs had finally managed to reach the second floor.

Behind them, at the end of the hallway, the sound of fighting suddenly reached an alarming climax, and before Link and Aryll could understand what was happening, a cluster of gun totting teens erupted from the stairwell, bullets flying in every which direction, curses and screams barely audible over the roar of gunfire.

Link hadn't waited to see if the police were following; snatching his sister's hand, he'd turned on his heel and fled down the adjacent hall, eager to be out of sight before one of the gunmen decided to pick them off.

Which brought them to where they were now, running pell-mell down the hall, their breathing erratic, Aryll whimpering slightly in sheer terror as bangs and dying screams echoed all around them.

"Don't worry, sis." Link muttered softly, trying to sound reassuring as he paused to check if the coast was clear before venturing down the next hall; all good. "Come on, don't cry. We'll get out of this. I'll keep you safe, I promise."

The feeling of wrongness was still threatening to overwhelm him; he tried his best to shake it off, to focus on getting back to the library where he'd last seen his friends, but he couldn't stop wondering why he felt that way. What could have happened to make him feel so odd? His skin was prickling, the hair on his neck stood on end, and the back of his left hand seemed to be buzzing with fervid anticipation. Something was coming, and he wasn't going to like it.

Without warning, two boys his age rounded the corner up ahead of him, sprinting. They noticed Link instantly, and the first one let out a shout, raising his handgun and firing off several shots at random.

Cursing viciously, ignoring Aryll's terrified screams, Link quickly turned and darted down the next hall, tugging his sister with him, only to draw up short as he realized his path was blocked by yet another duo of gun-toting teens.

He turned back, vainly trying to run back the way he had come, but was stopped as the first two gun men rounded the corner, panting heavily, bringing their guns up to bare.

"Stop!" One of them, shorter and more heavyset than the others, barked roughly as Link made as though to shove passed them. "Drop the gun! Don't move or the girl gets it!"

Link snarled, fear and desperation clawing away at his insides as he let the cold metal weapon fall to the floor where it was promptly kicked away by one of the assailants. No, it couldn't end like this, not now! They were so close! Link felt like screaming, but his throat wasn't working. His heart was pounding furiously in his chest, his mind spinning at a million miles an hour.

Tugging Aryll behind him, he back up against the wall, keeping her secure with his arms. She clung desperately to the back of his shirt, whimpering lightly, the four shooters extending out in a ring around them. They were all breathing heavily, with wild, frenzied expressions on their faces. They knew their death was eminent; any minute now the police would have them routed. At this point, they were capable of anything…

Something sick settled in the pit of Link's stomach. He needed to protect Aryll. Somehow, someway, he would make sure she got out of this safely. It was his job… He'd promised his grandfather he'd take care of her and Grandma… He couldn't let them down…

"Hey…" One of the shooter's drawled suddenly, breaking through Link's frantic thoughts. "Ain't that Link Hero?"

If Link's mouth was working, he would have groaned.

"Well well… I think you're right, Gyorg." the second shooter spot, and a manic grin nearly split his face in two. "You know, Hero, Master Ganon has expressed quite the interest in finding you… and disposing of you."

The others in the huddle chuckled, and from behind him Aryll let out a terrified whimper.

"What do you think, Akazoo?" the third shooter said, in a clipped lilting tone. "Think we should do Ganon one last favor before our fun is ruined?"

The second shooter smirked darkly. "I think that's a wonderful plan. Grab him, quickly, before the police catch us."

"NO!" Aryll shrieked as the two unnamed boys seized Link gruffly by either arm, tearing him away from his sister.

"Gyorg, grab that rat and shut her up." Akazoo spat in annoyance. Gyorg grinned salaciously, snatching her up in his arms.

She screamed, fighting back with her nails and feet, but the boy was clearly stronger than she was. He slapped a hand over her mouth, effectively silencing her, and with his other hand pressed the gun up to her temple.

"Keep squirming," he whispered softly, his face pressed against her neck, "and I'll blow a hole through that pretty little head of yours."

Aryll stopped fighting instantly, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed quietly, her entire body wracked with tremors. Link tried to give her a reassuring look as he desperately wracked his brains for a way to get them out of this, but his two captors dragged him roughly away from her. In the middle of the intersection they turned, slamming Link rather forcefully against the glass case where a fire extinguisher was encased. His head bounced off the metal corner, little black dots exploding in front of his eyes.

Link was breathing frantically now, panic shifting to sheer hysteria. He was about to die… He was seriously about to die. He'd failed. He hadn't managed to save Aryll. He was a failure…

"Well Hero," Akazoo said lightly, though Link was barely listening, his gazed fixed on the tear-streaked face of his little sister, "It's been a real treat."

His fellow psychopaths all guffawed stupidly, exchanging eager looks as Akazoo lifted his pistol, aiming it directly at Link's head. Aryll's breathing picked up frantically, and she made desperate muffled sound through Gyorg's hand, struggling in vain against his grip.

Link merely met the boy's eyes levelly. An odd sense of calm had come over him; if he was going to die, he might as well do it with his head held high, right?

Akazoo smirked, then pulled the trigger.

Link flinched as the bang reverberated around the room, mingling with the sound of shattered glass.

Opening his eyes, Link was startled to see he was still alive. His left ear was ringing painfully, and he could feel stinging all up and down his neck and shoulder. Glancing down in confusion, he tried to make sense of the glass that littered the floor.

"Ok, ok, sorry!" Akazoo said, laughing along with the others when they saw Link's baffled expression. "Well stop toying with you now."

Toying…? Link scowled darkly. They were playing with his mind. He shot just barely over his shoulder because they wanted to savor this moment. They'd shattered the glass that encased the fire hydrant; that's why his neck was stinging, there were tiny shards of glass imbedded in him now. The psychopaths, playing games with a person's life… Nothing but a bunch of cowards…

Link found himself growling savagely.

"If you're going to kill me, then kill me already. Or do you not have the guts?" he snarled, his voice grating. Aryll made a noise, but he ignored her.

Akazoo's grin slid off his face. He looked annoyed.

"Fine." He spat angrily. "We'll make this quick then. Say your prayers, Hero. Though they won't do you any good."

Link opened his mouth to fire off one last retort when a movement over Akazoo's shoulder caught his attention.

Two figures had just rounded the corner at the end of the hall behind Akazoo. When their gaze landed on Link and the attackers, they paused, looking confused at the situation that was unfolding before them.

Link recognized them a split second before they recognized him.

Just as soon as he realized who they were, the boy holding Link's right arm became aware of their visitors, his body suddenly stiffening in alarm as he raised a hand to point over Akazoo's shoulder.

"Hey-!"

"HEY!" came the infuriated roar of Link's best friend, Sheik Shadow, and before the four shooters knew what was happening, Sheik leveled his gun and opened fire.

Chaos reigned as Ganondorf's flunkies tried to regain control of the situation. Akazoo dropped to a crouch and spun around, hefting his gun and returning fire, making Sheik jump to the side and take cover behind a doorway. He could see Midna dart back around the corner for protection.

Before Sheik hid, however, one of his bullets took the boy holding Link's right arm in the shoulder, and the boy let out a cry of pain. The back of Link's left hand suddenly twinged, and something seemed to surge through him, just like it had when Sakon had been suffocating him in the main office, filling him with energy, making his mind startlingly clear.

Taking advantage of his weakness, Link quickly jerked his arm free, bringing his elbow back sharply to catch the injured shooter in the face. As he staggered backward in pain, Link turned and delivered a fierce head butt directly into the other attackers face with all of his might. The boy cried out in alarm, releasing Link's left arm to clutch at his face, and just like that Link was free.

Spinning on the spot, as though he'd had this planned out from the beginning, Link slammed his fist into the remaining shards of glass that clung to the fire hydrant's window frame, effectively opening the case. Taking hold of the heavy metal extinguisher by the pin and nozzle, he gave it a short tug, freeing it from it's metal prison.

With a wail, the fire alarm went off, nearly overriding the sound of gunfire that echoed from every direction.

Akazoo and Gyorg were completely oblivious to what was happening behind them, their attention focused on the shoot out with Sheik and Midna. Aryll, however, was watching Link's fight with wide eyes, her expression both fearful and amazed.

Link hadn't pulled the hydrant free one moment too soon; just as he'd managed to heft the admittedly clunky makeshift weapon in his hands, the shooter who'd bee shot realized what was happening and lifted his gun hand in an attempt to stop him; it was too late, however. With a downward swing, Link caught the pistol with the base of the fire hydrant and sent it clattering to the floor. Taking advantage of the shooter's momentary surprise, Link quickly jerked the metal bludgeon back up, slamming it into the bottom of the attacker's chin. The adrenaline flowing through Link's body added extra power to his swing, and the boy was momentarily lifted off the ground before he fell like a marionette whose strings were cut, his eyes rolling back into his head.

From the corner of his eye, Link could see the second thug had already recovered from his ferocious head butt and was bringing his own gun up to shoot Link in the back. Knowing he was too far to hit him regularly, Link spun on the spot, letting the hydrant slide in his grip until his hand grasped the very end of the nozzle. Utilizing the momentum of his spin, Link swung the hydrant over his head with all of his might.

At the height of his swing, the nozzle became detached from its clasp and the hose extended to its full length, extending the reach of Link's swing by a good foot and a half; exactly what he needed. The shooter had barely managed to aim his gun when the extinguisher came crashing down onto his head with a hollow thunk. The shooter crumpled like feta.

Something savage seemed to have overcome Link; adrenaline was flooding through him, making him faster, stronger, more agile. Turning his attention to the last two shooters, he found his vision going red when his eyes landed on Aryll, still held in Gyorg's clutches, his pistol still pointed at her head.

Gyorg still hadn't noticed that Link was free. Pulling his lips back in a wordless snarl, Link stepped forward, readjusting his grip on the fire extinguisher.

The blind rage in Link's eyes seemed to embolden Aryll. Sending Link an understanding look, she took a deep breath through her nostrils, then with a grunt bit down on Gyorg's fingers, simultaneously driving her elbow into his stomach.

The unsuspecting boy let out a cry of pain, loosening his hold on the girl, and with a gasp Aryll tore free, stumbling forward quickly in her haste to get away.

"Why you-" Gyorg snarled savagely, then froze when he saw Link towering over him.

"Nobody," he growled savagely, his voice harder than steel, "touches my sister."

Before Gyorg could respond, Link brought the base of the hydrant crashing down into his face, slamming his head into the wall behind him. Gyorg let out a wordless howl of pain as blood spurted from his broken nose and he slumped forward, clutching his ruined face. With a feral growl, Link slammed his weapon into the base of his skull, and the boy dropped.

Finally, it seemed, Akazoo noticed that something had happened behind him. Tearing his attention away from the shoot out with Sheik down the hall, he glanced behind him just in time to see Link swinging the hydrant like a golf club before it collided with his temple and he, too, was down.

Link stood there motionless for a moment, panting heavily amidst the four unconscious bodies littered around him. Without the gunfire, it seemed eerily quiet despite the fire alarm that rang obnoxiously overhead. Letting the extinguisher drop to the ground with a hollow clunk, Link stared wordlessly at the back of his hand, examining the glowing Triforce symbol.

What… did this mean? The strength, the energy that surged through him when he got in a fight, did it come from this? Was it some sort of curse, or blessing? The haze was already starting to fade, and the glowing along with it, but one thing stuck out clearly in Link's mind: the sense of wrongness had seemed to intensify during the fight, and though it was lessening now, it still left him with a lingering feeling of anxiety and restlessness. But what? What could it be? What was it the shape on his hand, the Triforce or the Goddesses or whatever it symbolized, trying to tell him?

A tortured sob suddenly drew his attention, and Link turned around just in time to catch his little sister as she tackled him, clinging to him as she cried into his shirt. Sighing, he let his arms envelope her, drawing her closer.

"I'm sorry, Aryll…" Link whispered softly, feeling awful. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you… Grandpa would be so ashamed…"

"Link?"

Turning his head, he was met with the wary, fearful faces of his two best friends as they stood awkwardly a few feet away from him, their eyes sweeping the destruction around them.

"Sheik, Midna!" Link said, smiling for the first time in what felt like an eternity. "You… You saved my life! Goddesses, I don't know how to thank you!"

"Er, Link, did you…" Sheik said slowly, gesturing to the bodies on the ground and the dented fire extinguisher.

Suddenly, Link felt awkward. How in the world was he going to explain this to them? 'Oh you know, a mysterious symbol on my hand turns me into Chuck Norris when I'm in danger, and helped me beat the crap out of four guys with guns using only a fire extinguisher!' Yeah, cause that'd go over well.

"Um… I don't think now's the best time to talk about it." Link said awkwardly, motioning to the still sobbing Aryll in his arms.

Thankfully, the two nodded understandingly, and Link breathed a mental sigh of relief.

Midna cast a worried glance down the hall from the direction they came from. "Guys, I don't think it's a good idea to just stand here… There could be more shooters around."

"You're right." Link said, sighing. He suddenly felt exhausted. That weird glowing thing really took a lot out of him. "What do you think, should we bunker down in a classroom til the cops get everything under control?"

"That's probably the smartest thing to do." Sheik said, rolling his shoulders wearily. His joints cracked with loud pops, audible even above the wailing siren. Midna shot him a disgusted look.

"Do you guys know anything about the others?" Link asked, suddenly remembering Zelda and Kafei were still out there somewhere, possibly caught up in the fight.

"We just saw them actually. Well, Zel and Kafei." Midna replied, leaning up against the wall and crossing her arms. Her sweater was a mess, and her hair was wild. Of the four standing there, only Aryll's appearance seemed unchanged, and that was because her hair was kept back in twin braids.

"Really?" Link said, trying not to sound to eager for news on Zelda's well-being. "They ok? They hiding in a room too?"

"Er… Well, they handled their room just fine, and came to check up on us, but we split up cause we didn't know how everyone else was doing…" Sheik said slowly, as though he were trying to avoid having to say something.

"Wait, what do you mean by everyone else?" Aryll asked tremulously, pulling her face out of Link's shirt.

Midna cast her a sympathetic look, opening her arms. Aryll stepped forward and accepted the embrace gratefully.

"Oh yeah! Get this; Zelda's other two 'friends' who took the first too rooms on the other half of the building? None other than Ralph Ambi and Collin Smith."

"Ralph?" Link exclaimed, flabbergasted, at the same time that Aryll blurted out "Collin? He's still here?"

"I know, right?" Sheik said, laughing. "It's crazy! Who would've thought Ralph of all people would be good for anything? And Collin, I thought he'd ran off like a little girl, but I guess he's been helping her the whole time or something. I dunno, we didn't have a lot of time to talk before they left to-"

"Wait, they left?" Link cut in, something painful seizing his chest. "You mean they're wandering the halls in the middle of the battle?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"I have to go find them." Link said quickly, spinning around, prepared to dart off down the hall. He knew something wasn't right… Whatever this odd feeling was, it centered around Zelda, of that he was sure. She was in danger. Something was going to happen to her. He needed to find her, and fast.

"Whoa, Link, wait up!" Sheik exclaimed, and Link paused impatiently.

"What is it?"

"You can't just run off by yourself!" He replied, his tone suggesting Link had lost his mind.

"Well I can't just leave her out there!" He retorted angrily.

"Link, she's not alone, she's got Kafei." Midna said softly, "Besides, if you go out there, you'll just put yourself in danger too."

"I don't care!" He said, throwing his hands up in the air, loosing his patience. "Something isn't right, I can feel it! Something's going to happen to her! I need to be there, I need to-"

"Link, I'm all about you finding a girl and all, but… You just met her. Is she really worth risking your life over?"

Link shot Sheik a cold, deadly look, and the boy took a step back in surprise.

"Anyone," Link growled darkly, "is worth risking my life for. I know I hardly know her, but that doesn't make her life unimportant. Sure, maybe this is stupid, and maybe I might get myself killed, but I'd rather give my life trying to save someone than live knowing I did nothing at all."

"Link…" Midna said softly, sounding hurt, but he ignored her. Turning on the spot, he took a few steps forward before he was stopped by a tug on his sleeve.

Turning in annoyance, he was surprised to find Aryll staring at him with her big, tear filled eyes.

"Link…" She whispered softly, "I'm going with you."

"No." He said flatly, placing both hands on her shoulders and holding her at arms length. "You're going to stay with Midna and Sheik, ok? I won't be long. Let them keep you safe, and I'll see you again when it's all over."

"No!" she said, her voice sounding tremulous. "Link, please!"

"Aryll, no, it's too dangerous. I can't let you-"

"You almost died!" She blurted out, startling him, and suddenly she was bawling again, clinging pathetically to the front of his shirt, tears streaming down her face, trying to talk through her sobs.

"Y-You almost d-died, and… you're m-my b-brother, and… I'd b-be all a-alone, so you can't… y-you c-can't leave me here… I n-need you… P-please don't leave me…"

She was barely understandable, but she managed to get her message across. Link sighed, feeling torn; on one hand, he couldn't just abandon his little sister in her time of need… but Zelda was in danger, he could feel it, and he didn't know how much time she had left. He needed to leave, but he couldn't just abandon Aryll…

"Aryll…" Link said softly once she'd quieted down, "I know this is hard, but… I need to do this. Please, stay with Sheik and Midna…"

She shook her head vigorously, her eyes hidden in his now-sopping T-shirt.

"Aryll," he tried again, exasperated, but Sheik cut him off.

"Link, give it up." He said, sighing heavily. "She's not staying behind while you rush off into danger."

"And neither are we." Midna said before Link could open his mouth to retort.

He stared at them in surprise before shaking his head in bewilderment and saying, "What? Guys, no, that's crazy!"

"Yeah." Sheik said, shrugging lightly. "But then, this whole day's been kinda crazy, right?"

"Besides, she's our friend too ya know. Just cause we don't fantasize about making out with her doesn't mean we're not worried about her."

Link pointedly ignored Midna's playful jab, instead turning to look at Aryll again. She was staring up at him with tear stained cheeks, but the sheer determination and ferocity in her gaze astounded him.

"I'm going with you." She said flatly, her tone brooking no argument.

She looks just like mom… Link thought affectionately, sighing in resignation.

He stared at her for a moment longer, clenching his jaw painfully before taking her hand in his and muttering, "Fine. But you stay behind me."

She nodded quickly, her blue eyes sparkling brightly, and without a word they were off, Midna and Sheik following behind them.

Link paused briefly, leaning down to snatch up Gyorg's pistol, handing it silently to Aryll before taking Akazoo's for his own. He ignored the fire extinguisher. Sure, maybe he'd totally beasted those four shooters with it, but it was hardly an appropriate weapon. He felt much safer with the gun in his hand.

Rounding the corner at a jog, Link came to an abrupt unexpected halt, Aryll crashing into his back, Sheik and Midna nearly doing the same.

"Link, wha-?" Aryll said, before her eyes followed her brother's and she cut off short.

There, standing just a few feet in front of them, were four of the last people he'd expected to see.

"Ralph?" Link blurted out, taken aback.

"Link!" The red head replied, grinning broadly.

"C-Collin?" Aryll stammered.

"…Aryll." He replied softly.

"Collin?" Sheik exclaimed incredulously, stepping around Link to get a better look.

"Sheik." He acknowledged briefly, though his eyes were glued on Aryll.

"Sheik?" asked a tall, mustachioed man with a black S.W.A.T. vest on, looking interested.

"Mr. Smith!" Link exclaimed in delight, finally recognizing the Chief of Police.

"Link!" The older man replied, grinning broadly, stepping forward to clasp his hand on his shoulder bracingly.

"Ok, can we not do this?" Midna cut in, sounding annoyed. The group laughed, all except for Aryll and Collin, who were staring at each other silently, their expressions grave.

"Are you kids alright?" Mr. Smith asked, letting his gaze drift over the students quickly, searching for injury. "It sounded like there was quite the scuffle down here…"

"There was, but we took care of it." Link said quickly, hoping he wouldn't have to explain about the fire extinguisher.

"I see." He answered, puffing air out through his bushy mustache. "Well, tell me, why are you kids wandering the halls? You need to stay in a classroom until we get things under control."

"Well, our friend Zelda told us Ganondorf was gonna tell his cronies to kill all the students before you could get here, so we split up to try and thwart him." Midna answered, her gaze fixated on Collin.

Ralph blinked in surprise. "Wait, you've been seeking to halt Ganondorf's nefarious plot as well?"

"Er… yes?" She replied, giving Ralph a funny look. Oddly, Ralph looked rather put out at this news.

"So you did it then?" The second officer asked, looking amazed.

"Well, we were just on our way to check up on Zelda, but…"

"As were we!" Ralph exclaimed, attempting to seize control of the conversation again. "We were just on our way to locate her and finish off the last two rooms, but it would seem you've stolen our thunder."

"Well, I have to admit," Mr. Smith said, ignoring Ralph, wiping his brow wearily but grinning down at them all with pride. "you kids astound me. Never in my life have I ever met such a group of courageous young people."

The second officer spoke up. "It's true. The number of kids you guys have saved today is astounding. You should be proud of yourselves. We've been hearing news about you guys all day!"

This unexpected praise brought about a rather awkward silence. Link felt his face heating up in embarrassment; yeah, he'd saved some people, but… anyone would have done it, right? He wasn't anything special. He turned back to hide his face and glanced at Sheik, and was surprised to see a look of shame on his face, his eyes downcast. Midna was rubbing his arm consolingly. Likewise, Collin also looked upset, and Aryll still wasn't saying anything.

Ralph, however, preened. "Well, what can I say? It's all in a days work, I suppose."

"Well," Mr. Smith said, clapping his hands and rubbing them together. "Things are almost under control. We just need to round up the last of the hostiles, then we'll get you kids out of here. You'll be reunited with your families in no time. However, until things are clear, I'm going to have to ask you kids to wait in a classroom, understand?"

Ralph nodded, seeming to find this plan acceptable, and turned as though to walk down the hall. Midna took a few steps too, as did Collin and Aryll, but they paused when they realized that Link and Sheik hadn't moved.

"Is there… a problem?" Mr. Smith asked, a confused look upon his face.

Link gave Sheik an odd look. He stayed put because he still had every intention of finding and checking up on Zelda; just because Collin's father had arrived didn't mean they weren't in danger. But that didn't explain why Sheik was still standing there, his shoulders trembling slightly, his gaze riveted on the floor.

Slowly, Sheik turned his scarlet gaze up and fixed it on Mr. Smith, his shoulders set with determination.

"Mr. Smith," he said softly, ignoring everyone else's confused gazes, "you're going to arrest the ones who participated in today's events?"

"Yes…" he replied slowly. To Link's surprise, Mr. Smith no longer seemed confused, merely curious. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Sheik swallowed heavily, looking nervous. "Well… If you're arresting the conspirators, then-"

"Sheik…" Midna cut in, sounding alarmed, but he pressed on anyway.

"-then you'll need to arrest me, too."

Ralph and the nameless officer's jaw dropped simultaneously. Collin looked sick. Aryll kept her gaze locked on the floor.

Sheik and Mr. Smith merely stared at each other, expressions unreadable.

"You helped plan today's events, then?" Mr. Smith asked quietly.

Sheik nodded.

"W-Wait!" Midna blurted out frantically, darting forward and positioning herself between the two. "Wait, please, he… He didn't mean it, h-he was just going through a tough time, and… He's a good person! He switched sides! He saved everyone in the gym, he's a hero-!"

"I know." Mr. Smith said simply, and Midna cut off with a hiccup, tears streaming down her face.

"You… You know?"

"I know." He repeated, looking sad. "Every person who walked off that bus told me or one of my officers how a boy named Sheik, a girl named Midna, and a hapless janitor had saved their lives at great personal peril."

Sheik swallowed, but said nothing. Midna was trembling, trying to contain her emotions.

"B-but…"

"Sheik has also been credited with helping to save a group of teenage girls, one of which had received what would have been a fatal gunshot wound to the abdomen. There is no doubt in my mind that that girl would be dead right now if not for him. And Link, of course."

Link said nothing, his gaze locked on his best friend.

"And now you tell me he helped stop Ganondorf from killing all the students before we could arrive to protect them? If I had my way, Mr. Shadow, I'd let you leave here with your friends. In my eyes, you're every bit the hero your friends and the students you helped save know you to be. However…"

Midna, whose face had been growing more and more hopeful with every word Collin's father spoke, absolutely fell apart at his last word.

"No… No, please…" she whispered, hands clutched at her chest.

"I'm sorry." Mr. Smith replied softly, and he truly seemed it. "Shiro, if you would…"

The officer nodded curtly, a discomfited expression on his face, and he stepped reluctantly forward, unhooking the handcuffs from his belt.

Sheik nodded, handing over the pistol in his hand without a word, holding his wrists out. He seemed the least upset of the group; if anything, he looked… content.

As Shiro turned to lead Sheik away, Collin suddenly stepped forward, looking decidedly pale.

"W-wait, h-hold on."

"Collin?" Shiro asked, confused.

"You… you need to arrest me, too."

The silence that followed that statement was one of the loudest that Link had ever heard. Nothing could be heard but the occasional sound of gunfire in the distance, become few and far in between as the battle died down, and the continuous wail of the fire alarm.

Finally, Shiro and Ralph blurted out in simultaneous incredulity, "What?"

Mr. Smith had gone completely rigid, staring at his son in horrified disbelief. Aryll's face was every bit as pale as Collin's, her eyes wide with shock, one hand clasped over her mouth.

"I'm sorry, dad…" he whispered, barely audible in the din. "I found out Ganondorf's plan this morning, but… He caught me and…" Collin shook his head, on the verge of tears. "I gave him the frequency that the police use to communicate. That's how he was able to know all of your plans. It's… It's all my fault…"

"Collin…" Shiro said, sounding scandalized.

"Why…" Mr. Smith asked hoarsely, pausing to clear his throat before continuing. "Why would you do that?"

"For me." Aryll said suddenly, speaking up for the first time. "He… Ganondorf threatened to kill me if Collin didn't cooperate. He was just trying to protect me…"

Collin sent her a grateful look, and she offered him a small, tremulous smile in return.

A look of understanding graced Mr. Smith's face. He still looked upset, but he no longer appeared as though he were having a heart attack.

"I… Sir?" Shiro asked, looking torn. "What… Can I…?"

Mr. Smith looked at a loss for words. Link couldn't help but feel for the man. What was he supposed to do? His son had given private information to the enemy; by all rights, Collin should be handcuffed like Sheik and taken away.

"Don't arrest him." Sheik said suddenly, and all eyes turned on him.

He smirked lightly. "Hey, I'm one of them, right? Take my testimony into account. Collin only gave away the frequency because Ganondorf threatened to kill him and Aryll if he didn't cooperate. He was just trying to protect his girlfriend. Besides, I don't think today's outcome would be much difference if he hadn't."

Mr. Smith nodded, sending Sheik a thankful look. "Well, in that case, Collin will not be held accountable for his actions." Shiro nodded, looking relieved.

"But-" Collin spoke up, looking confused, when suddenly a group of people came running around the corner.

Link tensed at first, ready to use his weapon until he realized what he was seeing. There were three figures approaching; two police officers on either side, and in the middle of them, being held aloft as though their arms were a chair…

"Kafei!" Link blurted out, pushing passed Shiro and Sheik and darting quickly to his injured friend. Kafei looked awful; he'd finally ditched the ridiculous black trench coat, but his left pant leg was completely soaked through with blood. His face was pale and drawn, and his eyes were half-lidded, as though he were fading in and out of consciousness.

"Kafei!" Aryll exclaimed at Link's side, looking horrified, "What-"

"Link," Kafei rasped, and Link suddenly realized he was sobbing.

"Whoa, Kafei, hey, calm down. It's gonna be ok, alright?" Link said softly, placing a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder.

"What happened?" Came Mr. Smith's stern voice from behind them, addressing the officers.

"We don't know, sir. We found him laying in a hallway like this. The bullet seems to have shattered his left tibia, and possibly his fibula as well. There's a great deal of blood. We're taking him out to the ambulance now."

"No!" Kafei suddenly blurted out, his eyes going wild. "No! I can't, she's still… I left her… I need to…"

"Kafei, calm down," Link said, taking his head in his hands and tilting him so he was looking into his eyes. "She who? Kafei, who are you talking about?"

But he already knew. He had known all along, ever since he'd felt the first pangs of dread what felt like so very long ago…

"Zelda." The boy gasped, looking decidedly green. "Nayru, I'm so s-sorry, Link, I couldn't stop him… H-He was just there…"

"He?" Link said, panic quickly welling up in his chest. "He who? Talk to me, Kafei! He who?"

"He took her…" The boy rasped, his eyes fluttering closed, and ice seized Link's heart.

He knew.

He knew who took Zelda.

At that exact moment, the fire alarm cut off, and for the first time in what felt like ages the school was completely silent. Link stepped back, looking in every which direction. He could feel his hackles rising as the profound sense of wrongness pervaded him again.

Suddenly, with a crackle of static, a voice came on over the intercom, making everyone in the hall jump.

"Attention Ordon High.. It is I, Ganondorf. You have fought bravely and well. You should be proud of yourself, Rusl Smith. You managed to defeat a rag-tag bunch of teenagers. I must say, I am impressed."

There was a pause as he let out dark chuckle that made Link's hair stand on end.

"He's in the office." Mr. Smith said suddenly, hefting his rifle in his hands, moving as though to run off down the hall, Shiro following.

"If you come, she dies." Ganondorf barked, and the two officers stopped immediately, looking confused.

"It's still my game, Rusl Smith. I have a hostage with me, and she will die if my demands aren't met."

Smith cursed under his breath. Midna was standing beside the handcuffed Sheik, Aryll had drifted beside Collin, her gaze looking fearful. Link still stood beside Kafei and the two officers who were supporting him, his gaze locked on the security camera in the corner from where he knew they were being watched, hanging on Ganon every word.

"I have but one request, and I make it now. I speak to you, Link Hero." Everyone in the hall turned their gazes on Link; some confused, some fearful. Link ignored them, focusing instead on Ganon's cruel voice.

"I wait for you at the top of the tower, just as I always have. Come to me, Hero. Come, and let us see. Can your Courage best my Power? Can you save the Princess from the Evil that threatens to destroy her? Our battle has been predestined, Hero. Our fate is decided. Our destiny awaits. Come to me; heed the call, the singing in your blood, and let us truly see who holds the Goddesses favor."

Link didn't wait. As soon as the message ended, he took off running down the hall, shoving roughly passed Collin's father and Shiro as they tried to stop him.

He didn't hear his friends' cries for him to stop, the blood was pounding too loudly in his ears. He didn't see Aryll and Sheik try to follow him, only to be grabbed by Collin's dad and Shiro. He didn't feel fear, or sorrow, or despair, only the rage that boiled inside of him, threatening to consume him.

The Triforce on his hand was glowing now in earnest, but he no longer cared. It didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered. Only Zelda and Ganon existed.

He would either save her and kill him, or die trying, but one way or another, it was going to end.

* * *

_ugh..._

_Seriously, writing this chapter is going to give me carpal tunnel... _

_And the ending? I swear I deleted-then-rewrote it like... 7 times. And I still don't like the way I did it! I dunno. Maybe I'm just too picky. What do you guys think?_

_So yeah, epic length, right? It's nuts. Over 23, 000 words. It took up 58 pages on Word. How is that for insanity? See now why it took me so long to post? Ah well, enough complaining from me. _

_Like it? Hate it? Either way, lemme know! We're at 92 reviews from the moment I posted this chapter. Just 8 more til 100 people! Let's do it! Woooo!_

_AND we officially broke 10, 000 hits from my last chapter. By like... 500. hahaha. You guys rock. Seriously, I love you all to death. _

_Two more chapters to go! Tell me what you think's gonna happen in the next chapter. And concerning all the unresolved stuff, such as..._

_Will Sheik go to jail? What about Collin? Will Anju survive? What about Link? Zelda? Ganon? What happened to Kafei's Trench coat! I dunno. Guess you'll have to wait and find out.  
_

_Keep it Zesty, my friends. _

_ZC  
_


	17. Destiny

_Phew! Goodness gracious, great balls of fire! Getting this chapter out to you guys to far longer than I had anticipated! I'm really sorry about that... I'll explain my tardiness at the end, but for now, let's just get on with the story, eh?_

_Here we go... The moment you've all been waiting for... The epic Climax of Hit List..._

* * *

**Chapter 17**

**Destiny**

It was the silence, more than anything, that got to him. After spending the entire day surrounded by the sounds of gunfire, screams of agony, tearful sobs and frantic breathing, the quiet that now engulfed his surroundings was far beyond oppressive.

It's like a crypt, Link decided, the random thought skittering somewhere along the fringes of his mind, and in a way it was fitting. Death and stillness seemed commonplace. He hardly dared to breathe, somehow fearing that any sound he made would endanger the pseudo-peace that had befallen the school from the moment Ganondorf had issued his challenge.

His footsteps, protracted and hesitant, fell dully on the tattered, threadbare carpeting that made up the short walkway before the main office. Slowly, carefully, he made his way toward the familiar doorway, Akazoo's pistol held in his surprisingly steady grip, both hands on the cold, cruel metal, the barrel pointed downward at his side.

Oddly, Link was not afraid. The one feeling that had stayed with him throughout his nightmarish ordeal at Ordona High, the one feeling he had thought would never again abandon him so long as he lived, forever haunting him in his nightmares and in his daydreams, had suddenly vanished when Ganon had spoken to him over the PA system only minutes ago.

In its place was a strange surging… feeling. A type of calmness that comes from experience and knowledge, the type that permeates the atmosphere just before a storm. He almost felt like liquid light was coursing through his veins, and the mark on the back of his hand hadn't stopped glowing. He felt… bolder. More cunning. Confidant. _Driven._

There was no fear. There was no anxiety. There was only him, Ganondorf, and the girl he'd taken, the girl Link was here to save, the girl he knew so little of, yet somehow seemed more important to him than life itself… Zelda.

Somewhere along the line, between her cleaving his head in two with a door and him plowing into her as he rounded a corner with is friends, she'd become important to him. He didn't question why he was putting his life at risk for a girl he hadn't even known a full twenty-four hours; she was simply worth it. It seemed almost second-nature, as though protecting her was somehow written into his genetic code.

Even the thought of her in danger made Link's heart cry out in anguish and the golden triangles on his hand seemed to glow all the brighter. He felt as though the symbol called to him, urging him restlessly forward, drawing him closer and closer to the room at the end of the hall, pleading with him louder and louder the nearer he got to his destination.

He would save her. He would defeat Ganondorf, somehow, someway. He would avenge all those he'd killed this day, put an end to today's tragedy, save his sister and his friends from further harm, get his revenge for what he'd done to Sheik, and make his parents, uncle, and grandfather proud…

Odd fearlessness notwithstanding, Link hesitated at the door to the office, momentarily debating his next choice of action before mentally shrugging and grasping the handle with one hand; there was no time to think about a different course of action or to prepare for whatever traps might be laying in wait. Zelda needed him, and no matter how he looked at it, he needed to go in.

Easing the pistol in his left hand, Link closed his eyes for a moment, drudging up a memory of the room as he remembered it when he and Kafei had made their escape attempt. There was a desk straight ahead, and a break room directly behind it, separated by a wall with a large window. Immediately on his right would be the couches and chairs where Ganon's flunkies had been sitting when Sheik had brought Link up as his 'prisoner'. Finally, on the left was the narrow walkway that led to the Vice Principals office, the walk-in closet where Link, Aryll, and Kafei had been imprisoned, and…

The Principal's Office.

He could almost feel Ganondorf's malevolent aura radiating up ahead. Somehow, without explanation, Link _knew._ Ganon was in Sahasralah's office. He was waiting for the Hero at the top of the tower…

No longer concerned for what was awaiting him in the main office, Link turned the handle and pushed the door open with a calm detachment. It swung open with barely a creak, and with an impassive face Link entered in to the stillness of the office.

All the lights were off. It didn't make much difference, seeing as the door to the vice principal's office was still ajar from when Link had searched it for a weapon earlier, and the sunlight streamed through from the window within; the sunlight coupled with the light from the hall beyond worked together to illuminate the room well enough for Link to take a good look.

Everything was just as he had left it. Upturned couch cushions, shattered vending machines in the break room, bullet holes in the wall…

Sakon's motionless body laying face-first in a pile of dirt and pottery.

Link stared at the boy's inert form, momentarily frozen, swiftly fighting down the bile that had risen in his throat. Wrenching his eyes away from the body, trying hard not to notice the gaping, bloodless bullet hole in his back, he turned his gaze toward the narrow hall that led to the Principal's office. What small light he gained from the window and the outer hall wasn't enough to pierce the darkness of that short hallway. The gloom clung on, almost seeming to sap the light from the world around it, giving off a foreboding aura. It was fitting that Ganondorf would be holed up back there…

And Zelda was there, too. Waiting for him.

Something about that thought was oddly nostalgic, but he pushed the feeling away, instead focusing on the task at hand. With slow, deliberate footsteps, he made his way toward the back of the office. Carefully, he stepped around Sakon without looking at him again, angling his foot so as not to step on the faux tree. To Link, crossing the distance from Sakon to the back of the office felt like it took no time at all, and before he knew it he was in front of the Principal's door.

When he lifted his hand to place it on the handle, he half expected to see he was shaking. His limbs, however, were still. He was calm. He was in control. He _would_ end this, here and now.

Turning the handle, Link took a deep breath and gave the door a gentle push, let it slowly swing open, creaking ever so softly.

Time seemed to stop. The world ceased spinning. Link's heart stopped beating. There was no sound, no movement, nothing to indicate that life beyond what Link could see was still progressing, still chugging ever onward in spite of him. Anticipation was at it's climax, and the very universe seemed to be holding its breath as Link entered the room.

"So… You have come…"

For a moment, Link was unsure where the voice was coming from. The room was dim, the only light coming through the tiny gaps between the blinds; blinding bars of horizontal light that pierced the shadowy interior of the office, struggling to illuminate what was hidden in the darkness.

Eyes slowly adjusting to the change in lighting, he could see Sahasralah's massive, heavy-set mahogany desk in the center of the room, Ganondorf's laptop perched atop its dark wooden surface; the occasional faux-potted plant or chair lining the walls beside cheap portraits of mountains and sailboats and the occasional motivational poster, a lone filing cabinet in the far corner of the room. The large bloodstain adorned the center of the carpet, along with the few pieces of broken plastic Link had noted in his first visit to the room as well as the stapler he'd dropped when Sakon had apprehended him.

"I knew you would, Hero." Came his cruel, sinister voice, once more echoing from the shadows, and with a start Link realized he was sitting in Sahasralah's chair, facing the windows, most of his body hidden behind the chair's back. "You always were so predictable…"

Link took a step forward, letting the door swing slowly shut behind him. Opening his mouth to fire back a retort, he cut off short when something peculiar happened; one moment he was facing Ganondorf's back in the center of the principal's office, and the next the scene seemed to flicker… They were atop a tower, in a massive room decorated with garishly ornate wall fixtures and opulent golden floor tiles. Where before Ganondorf had been sitting behind a desk, he was now situated before a massive organ, his hands poised on the keys in mid-motion, before with another flicker the scene returned to normal.

Before Link could even begin to fathom what had just happened, a sudden soft whimper of fear caught his attention. Tearing his gaze away from Ganondorf's back, his eyes darted towards the sound, all thoughts of hatred and revenge momentarily put on hold as he felt his breath catch and his heart throb with dull anguish.

For there she was-Zelda: beautiful, tragic, alluring, mysterious… The main source off all of his worry and dedication, the driving force behind his actions, his reason willingly falling for Ganondorf's taunt. His soul ached as his steely grey eyes met her tear-filled, desperate amaranthine orbs, fear and near-hysteria etched clearly onto her regal face. The humming that seemed to resonate from the mark on his hand surged with a renewed vigor, throbbing in time with his anguished heartbeat.

She made as though to move towards him, her limbs straining against her duct tape bindings as she lay slumped in the corner of the room, nestled in the shadowy darkness. The tape that covered her mouth prevented her from making much noise, but he could still tell; she was crying. Tears were leaking down her delicate porcelain cheeks, past the scabs that marred her otherwise-angelic visage, over the tape the gagged her, droplets staining his favorite green hoodie that she still wore even after all that had transpired.

Something about that picture, the sight of Zelda quietly sobbing alone in the corner of the room in his sweater, drove him over the edge. Rage, the likes of which he hadn't felt since Gyorg had grabbed Aryll, suddenly roared inside of him, feral and raw. He wrenched his gaze away from the girl, partially to direct his attention towards his enemy, partially because he couldn't bare to see her in such a broken state. Baring his teeth, fist clenched tightly around the barrel of Akazoo's pistol, Link let his arm rise, slowly leveling the pistol at the back of Ganondorf's head. It was time… he was going to finish this, once and for all…

Ganondorf let out a slow, mirthless laugh. "Now now, Hero. Let's not be getting ahead of ourselves. Do not forget who holds the cards."

And with a deft movement, he lifted his arm, his small black handgun pointed straight towards Zelda.

Tilting his head to the side, he cast Link an amused, yellow-eyed gaze from over his shoulder. "Drop the gun, Hero, if you wish your dear Princess to live."

Link felt a cold sweat break out over his body. Ever facet of his mind was screaming at him to pull the trigger, to end this now, to let it just be over… but some part of him knew that even if he pulled the trigger first, one bullet wouldn't be enough to bring Ganondorf down, and his heart wouldn't let him do anything that put Zelda in danger. Protecting her was second nature, more natural than breathing. It was his reason for being… And Ganondorf knew. It was his weakness. He was trapped.

He let his arm fall.

"Put it on the ground, Hero, and slide it over to me."

Growling furiously at his own ineptitude, Link complied stiffly. He kept his gaze averted as he kicked the tiny handgun towards his nemesis, too ashamed to look at Zelda and let her witness his incompetence.

"Good… Now, kneel." Link complied grudgingly. Ganon let a sinister smile ooze across his face, revealing sharp, fang-like teeth that glittered in the half-light.

"As I thought… You obey orders well, Hero. Submission looks good on you." And then he threw his head backward with a sudden bark of laughter.

Bristling indignantly, Link jerked his head up with a snarl, visibly seething. Ganondorf laughed all the harder.

Swiveling the office chair casually to the side, Ganondorf rose to his full, hulking height. Letting one hand trail languidly along the smooth surface of the Principal's desk, he slowly made his way around the large wooden monstrosity with deliberate footsteps, a light, satisfied smirk on his face; he ignored Link's pistol, which had come to rest harmlessly by the wall beneath one of the windows.

"It has been a long time, my old foe…" Ganondorf mused simply, coming to a halt in front of the desk, his arms folded impassively across his chest. His gun was held limply in one of his fists, but Link didn't delude himself by thinking that Ganondorf was any more vulnerable now than he had been when he'd had it pointing directly at Zelda only a moment earlier. Ganondorf the man was far more terrifying and lethal than any fire arm.

"It is interesting, is it not, how often this situation plays out for you and I? Does it irk you now, Hero, knowing that the tables have turned on you? That this time, I shall emerge victorious, and it is you who shall be defeated? You, and that precious _Princess_ of yours."

He spat the word 'Princess' out in much the same tone that a normal person might use to speak of something particularly foul. Link clenched his fists, his hands trembling from suppressed rage, but he said nothing. His mind was whirring, frantically searching for something, anything, to get himself and Zelda out of there.

"Indeed. It can only be called fate. Destiny has played you both into my hands so nicely… Do you not agree, Hero?"

Link said nothing, his jaw aching as he clamped his teeth shut tightly in anger, glaring up in silence at his captor.

"To think…" Ganondorf continued in amusement, seemingly unconcerned with Link's lack of response, "When I plotted out today's events, my goal was simply to seize the Triforce of Power for my own. Never had I dreamed that I would be met by the other two Triforce bearers as well. An oversight on my part, admittedly. I should have foreseen your arrival beforehand, Hero of Time…"

He shook his head slowly, a slight frown on his face, before pressing on. "Nevertheless, in spite of my folly, my plan continued to advance perfectly- I had you in captivity, your friends lined up for slaughter, the entire school under my command… until that pest Smith and his officers barged in. Once I realized my objective was in jeopardy, I retreated to the office quickly to finish what I'd started: ending your life that I might finally seize Power and achieve my dream. Imagine my surprise and anger, Hero, when I arrived here in the main office only to discover you had managed to escape."

His eyes took on a dangerous glint, a disgusted look appearing on his face. "Foolish Sakon… Ever fretting and pandering to my every whim, yet he never realized how utterly beneath me simpering cockroaches like him truly are. I should thank you for finishing him off, Hero. You've saved me the trouble of disposing of him myself."

Link swallowed back bile. "You're sick…"

Ganondorf merely smirked, but otherwise ignored Link's comment as he continued his monologue. "I was enraged. Despairing of ever finding you amidst the ruckus Smith was creating among my lackeys. It was then, in my moment of despair, that the truth dawned upon me; that the only ones even remotely capable of upending my plans to seize the Triforce of Power were the bearers of Courage and Wisdom… and that you , Hero, were far more than you appeared. Enraged, I thought that I had once again been duped by my ancient foe, that the Goddesses had interfered to prevent me from obtaining my goal… Only who should appear before me at that crucial moment, just as I had lost all hope for victory…?"

Zelda made a faint groan-like sound, and Link demanded. "Let her go, Ganondorf! I'm your target! Leave her out of this! Just… Just do what you want with me and let her go!"

"Let her go?" Ganondorf laughed in surprise, "Have you not realized who she is, Hero? Have you not yet begun to understand why you felt so compelled to rush to her aid, despite how suicidal it sounded? Allow me to enlighten you, then. Look into her eyes and see, Hero, the face of your age-old companion, the Princess of Destiny!"

Slowly, Link turned his gaze away from Ganondorf's exultant facade and searched out the bound girl in the corner, his heart thundering loudly in his chest. His mind was blank with shock. All he could think about was that moment earlier in the hall, when he'd noticed the symbol on her hand… the same one he had on his, the one they shared with Ganondorf. If Ganondorf was really the King of Thieves reborn, and Link was supposedly the Hero of Time… Then could Zelda truly be the Princess of Destiny, the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom?

The moment their eyes met, Link knew; it was true. The girl he'd had a crush on since she'd knocked him off his feet, literally, the day earlier, the girl he'd given his sweater to, the girl he hadn't been able to stop thinking about… was the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom. The Princess of Destiny. A direct descendant of the ancient Hylian Royal Family.

And yet somehow… this news didn't come as much of a surprise to Link as he'd thought it would. It was as if deep down, a part of him had already known, had already recognized her for who she really was and attached itself to her because of it.

Zelda made no sound, but he could see the resignation on her face as she met Link's penetrating stare, and through the tears that still ran down her cheeks attempted to give Link a reassuring look. His heart went out to her, yearning to take her away from here, somewhere where she could be safe, where he could protect her…

Ganondorf watched their silent exchange with dark amusement. "How pathetic. You are a sentimental fool, Hero… But then, you always were. Your biggest weakness, it would seem. How easily you can be manipulated, so long as the life of someone you care for is at stake…"

Ganondorf's booming laughter resounded around the room again, and Link felt the bitter realization sinking in. Zelda… she was here because of him. It was his fault she was in danger. Just like Aryll before her, she'd been kidnapped and taken hostage as a means to lure Link into Ganondorf's trap; not because she was a bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom… It was only through coincidence that Ganondorf had managed to find out the truth about her.

"How wonderful the hand of fate can be in drawing together the pieces for its grand design? It's been said the Goddesses work in mysterious ways, but this… To think that my hostage would be the Princess of Destiny is too much! And now, finally, Power, Wisdom, and Courage have been gathered together once more!"

Thrusting his hand forward, he showed Link the back of his fist in triumph. Unlike before, when there was merely the vague outline of a triangle on his hand, Link could clearly see the golden Triforce symbol glowing with a dazzling light just as Link's was; only where Link's had the bottom-right triangle illuminated, Ganondorf's showed the top.

"Many times have we danced this eternal dance, played this game, accepted our roles in this celestial play…" Ganondorf whispered fervently, and Link felt his skin crawl as he realized that though his words were directed towards him, Ganondorf was really speaking to himself. "Many times have we met like this, garbed slightly differently perhaps, and in a different setting, but always the same…. And yet, not this time. This time, I have you both before me, weakened and powerless. And once I defeat you, I shall take from you the last two pieces of the Sacred Triforce, and with it finally completed, I shall obtain ultimate power, and become a God!"

Throwing his head back, Ganondorf roared with laughter and what faint light there was in the room seemed to diminish even further, as though his presence was making the world darker. A cold chill seemed to sweep over Link, permeating the room, sending shivers down his spine.

"You're mad if you think I'm going to let that happen." Link gratted, and Ganondorf's grin turned sardonic.

"You don't have a choice, Hero. This time, I have the better weapon."

And suddenly, his gun was pointed at Link's head.

Link opened his mouth in alarm, but his airway seemed to have contracted. His mind went blank with surprise and terror as a cold sweat erupted all over his body. A part of him wished desperately that Ganondorf would go back to talking and give Link more time to think of a way out. From the corner of the room, Zelda let out a sudden wail of fear as she struggled against her bindings, but to no avail.

Ganondorf smiled cruelly, a murderous gleam in his yellow eyes.

"Goodbye, Hero." He said simply, and pulled the trigger.

Something pink seemed to flash on his gun, however, and the weapon clicked uselessly.

Link knelt there, eyes wide, hardly daring to breathe, his mind reeling. What… What had just happened? His gun hadn't worked? But how? And what was that odd flash of light?

Ganondorf, however, didn't appear the least bit perturbed. An amused, slightly surprised glint in his eyes, he turned slowly to face the bound Zelda, a cruel smile forming on his face.

"Well well…" he said softly, chuckling in dark amusement. "That was clever, Princess. To have stopped my gun like that, utilizing the magical talents that you haven't even begun to understand. Impressive."

Zelda, tear streaks on her face, still breathing heavily through her nostrils, fixed Ganondorf with a look of pure loathing.

"Still, I'm not picky." He continued lightly, taking a step toward her. "I can certainly kill you first, if that's what you prefer."

Zelda's eyes seemed to pop out of her head as she struggled futilely against her bindings to get away from him, a frantic, strangled sob issuing from her throat.

At the sound of her distress, something in Link seemed to snap. With a feral growl, he quickly rose to his feet and charged, heedless of the danger, his only thought to protect Zelda.

Ganondorf barely even glanced behind him before scoffing, pivoting on one leg, and delivering a powerful kick to Link's abdomen.

Link literally _flew_ backward, landing on his back with an almighty crash, all of the air driven from his lungs. The world seemed to spin for a moment, and he struggled to regain a sense of his surroundings. Arms wrapping protectively around his injured stomach, Link fought in vain for breath as he curled into the fetal position, pain coursing through his trembling frame, the prickly fibers of the carpet digging into the exposed skin of his forearms and cheek.

"Idiot boy…" He thought he heard Ganondorf spit contemptuously. "As if anyone could match me in strength."

Head swimming and eyes blurry, Link struggled through the pain to make his vision focus on something- anything- as he desperately fought to reclaim control over his tortured body. Still hazy, his gaze alighted on a bizarre vaguely-rectangular shape lying on the carpet just before him. Something seemed to tell him that he ought to know what this object was, but his pain-induced, oxygen deprived mind simply refused to let him focus on anything other than the sheer agony his abdominals were currently experiencing.

Forcing his hand to move, he let his palm drag across the scratchy carpet towards the object, his fingers trembling, his head still swimming, convincing himself that if he could just grasp the object, he'd be able to reclaim his hold on reality, if only for a moment…

Across the room, he heard a muffled whimper of pain and a cruel, mocking burst of dark laughter. From the corner of his eye, he thought he saw Ganondorf bend over, seize Zelda by the scruff of Link's sweater and lift her effortlessly into the air.

"Now, Princess… This is a moment I have been waiting for… for a _very_ long time…"

The sound of Ganon's words sent hatred coursing through Link's body, and with one last desperate push he felt his fingers brush against the cold metal object in front of him.

Cold metal object…

_A gun!_ Link thought excitedly, not pausing for a moment to ask himself how a random weapon had shown up on the floor in front of him, only thinking of rescuing Zelda from Ganondorf's clutches. Grasping the object in his hand, he swiftly dragged it back towards him, struggling to get a feel for the odd, clunky shape…

It wasn't until he'd managed to pull the object directly in front of his face that he finally realized what it was, and he felt the last feeble tendrils of hope inside of him die.

It was a stapler. The same stapler he'd dropped there earlier that day when Sakon popped out of nowhere and taken him by surprise.

Unbidden, the image of him holding the stapler aloft like a club when confronted by Sakon's gun came to his mind, and Link groaned… or at least attempted a groan. With the lack of oxygen in his lungs, it came out more as a strangled cough.

It was over then. With one kick, Ganondorf had beaten him. Any second now, he'd finish what he'd started. He'd take the Triforce of Wisdom, and Zelda… Zelda would be dead. He failed her. He lost.

Clenching his fist around the office tool in despair, Link's tear-filled eyes landed on the bright Triforce insignia on the back of his hand. Anguished, he mentally railed against the marking, hating the symbol and everything it implied. Triforce of Courage? Hero of Time? What did it matter? What did any of it matter if he couldn't save her! 'Blessing of the Goddesses'? If anything, the Triforce was a curse, singling him out for the slaughter; him and Zelda both. What good had it ever done for him?

As if in answer to his question, memories of him swinging the faux-potted plant over his head and wielding a fire extinguisher to fight off a small group of shooters came to his mind.

_But how? _Link raged mentally, whether to himself or the Goddesses or the Triforce he wasn't sure; the futility of his situation was bearing him down, crushing his spirit, destroying his will to go on. _How am I supposed to fight Ganondorf without an actual weapon? I can't battle the wielder of the Triforce of Power with only a stapler! He has a _gun_! It's useless! This is impossible!_

…_**Impossible?**_

It wasn't a voice exactly; more like a feeling, a memory, that surged through him, stilling his trembling limbs, opening his eyes wide with awe and wonder as a strange presence suddenly settled over him like a mantle.

And suddenly, Link remembered. Impossible? Had he not faced impossible situations before, and prevailed? Had he not scaled frozen mountains, spanned scorching deserts, traveled the darkest forests, dove into the deepest lakes, and explored the deadliest volcanoes? Had he not walked into Death's very home and returned alive? Had he not battled numerous foes, some more innumerable than the sand of the sea, others larger than life itself, and emerged victorious? And had he not battled and subsequently defeated Ganondorf more times and in more lives than he could count?

He wasn't just Link, he was the Hero of Time; and while he may not have Ganondorf's raw power, he did have one thing his foe did not… He had courage. Courage- the will to face any danger or obstacle in spite of one's fear.

And for the Bearer of the Triforce of Courage… Nothing was impossible.

'_**So the question isn't 'can it be done,'**_a voice seemed to whisper to his subconscious, _**'But rather, 'do you have the will to try?'**_

Zelda let out a muffled scream from across the room, and Link moved.

Clenching his fist around the stapler, Link felt sudden renewed strength flood through him, washing away his pain and fatigue. With a relieved gasp, he took in a great gulp of blessed air into his tortured lungs as he pushed himself slowly up onto all-fours, turning his gaze toward Ganondorf, determination steeling his gaze.

His Triforce was glowing like a tiny sun, but Link paid it no heed; a bizarre understanding had rapidly overcome him, and the symbol was suddenly both familiar and comforting, a trustworthy constant in his otherwise hectic existence. Thousands of feelings and images were flooding through his mind; memories of places and moments in hundreds of past lives that seemed foreign yet familiar all at once, too many to focus on at one time.

Link felt stronger than he ever had before; swifter, more agile, his body a lithe, nimble machine. The empowering force he'd felt earlier had fully consumed him, and he rose from the ground not just as Link, but as Link- the Hero of Time. He was one now with his past lives, with the power the Triforce of Courage granted him, and nothing could stand in his way. It was time to act.

Ganondorf was across the room, his back to Link, still holding Zelda up with one hand by the scruff of Link's green hoodie. Zelda's fear filled gaze was locked on Ganon's face, tears streaming down her cheeks past the duct tape that covered her mouth as she struggled against her bindings, sobbing. Ganondorf's free hand was poised in the air, fingers extended like claws, the Triforce of Power shining ominously on the back of his hand.

As Link rose slowly to his feet, tugging on the base of the stapler so that it swung backward, extending its reach, the scene seemed to flicker just as it had earlier, and suddenly he was atop the highest tower of an old, abandoned fortress, the wind rustling his hair through an open window, carrying with it the familiar salty tang of the sea. Ganondorf stood before him, broad-shouldered and impassive in the moonlight, holding aloft the familiar struggling form of a petite blonde girl. Link grimaced darkly, hefting the weapon in his hand as he darted forward, desperate to save her. With a cry of rage, he swung the weapon horizontally towards the villains head.

_Flicker_

Ganondorf roared in pain, promptly dropping Zelda to the floor as he spun around to face Link, his hand clasped over the side of his face. Zelda hit the ground with a grunt of pain, her head rebounding off the wall with a sickening thud.

"Curse you!" Ganondorf snarled, swinging his fist wildly in Link's general direction, forcing him to dance back a couple of spaces to avoid the blow. Gingerly, Ganon pulled his hand away, revealing his ear newly stapled to the side of his head.

Link grinned, holding his makeshift weapon at the ready. "It's a good look for you, Ganondorf. I think you should keep it."

Snarling, Ganondorf gradually began reaching his hand behind his back as he spat viciously, "I thought I'd put you in your place, boy."

"Well, I thought about it for a bit, but you just make beating you so hard to resist."

"Well well," Ganon taunted in response, a demonic grin forming on his face. "Tough words for one wielding a stapler…"

"You always were too prideful…" Link responded lightly, though on the inside all of his muscles had gone taut, ready to spring into action at any moment. "That was _your_ weakness. You're so sure of your own strength that you never take into consideration the strength of others, those you consider beneath you. And every time, it's your undoing. It's pathetic."

"Pathetic, am I?" Ganondorf mused thoughtfully. "Well then, I suppose we'll simply have to put it to the test. Your so-called 'power' against my own."

"Bring it on." Link spat.

And they charged.

Ganondorf pulled the handgun out of the waistband of his pants, jerking it forward and letting off a series of shots, the sound deafening in the confined room. Link, however, had already moved; diving forward as soon as he'd seen Ganon's arm start to pull forward, he rolled between Ganondorf and Sahasralah's desk, coming up on one knee just behind the taller man, slashing the stapler like a dagger, sending another staple into Ganon's lower back. As the man bellowed in rage and pain, Link quickly planted his hand on the ground, using it as a pivot to twist his body around and deliver a powerful kick to the back of Ganon's knee.

As Ganondorf toppled backward with a startled yelp, Link seized his opportunity. Rolling to the side to avoid being crushed, he quickly pounced on the other boy, trapping his gun-arm between his body and the floor, he hurriedly jabbed the stapler as many times as he could into the tender, exposed flesh of Ganon's under-arm and wrist. Ganon screamed in rage, quickly shoving Link off of him, but not before the damage had been done; the pain of being stapled repeatedly had loosened his grip on the gun just enough so that when Link was pushed off, he was able to tear the gun free of his grip.

Link's plan hadn't work quite as well as he had hoped, however; Ganon's shove had carried with it more force than he had anticipated, the result sending him slamming into the wall, knocking a picture frame off of it's perch. Link kept his grip on the stapler with effort, but the gun slipped free from his fingers, clattering against a chair leg and bursting apart, the magazine landing just beside Link's foot.

Staggering to his feet, Link squared off with his foe again, breathing heavily. He knew there was no point in going for the gun again; he had no idea how to reassemble a fire arm, and even if he did, it wasn't like Ganondorf was going to wait for him to finish putting it together. Link's own pistol was lying forgotten on the other side of the room; it might as well be in Holodrum for all the good it did him.

With a grunt of annoyance, Ganondorf began picking the tiny bits of metal out of his arm.

"Not bad for a guy with a stapler." Link jabbed, feeling slightly better now that he was the only one with a weapon.

"Hmph. Don't get cocky, Hero. This isn't over."

And then from the inside of his coat, he drew a small black knife.

Link blanched, then stilled his features, adrenaline coursing through his body as he zeroed in on his foe, a thousand-lifetimes of battle experience flowing through him, giving him strength.

Ganondorf smirked cruelly, then remarked casually, "Just like old times, eh?"

Then without warning, he slashed viciously at Link with his knife, the blade aiming straight for his heart.

As Link spun out of the way, leaping bodily over a chair to avoid Ganon's second blow and give himself more room to move, the memories and images that had been flashing randomly throughout his mind ever since he'd felt the strange presence earlier suddenly rose to the forefront, bubbling up inside of him. He wasn't entirely sure what was happening to him, but he knew that whatever it was, he couldn't hold it back anymore.

Darting quickly to the center of the room, Link spun around frantically, searching for his foe, only-

_Flicker_

-the room was too dark to see clearly, the residual shadow of Ganon's lair pervading his very mind, working in tandem with his own primal fears, making the very shadows around him seem to dance. His heart was pounding too loudly in his chest, his mind whirring too fast for rational thought, and he slashed wildly at the shadows, hoping by some miracle that his weapon would connect. From his side he heard a beastly roar and barely managed to avoid Ganon's sudden stab, pivoting on his heel on the filthy granite flooring. Leaping narrowly over a pit dark as midnight he struggled frantically for better footing.

Desperate for a counterattack, Link spun once more, swinging his weapon fiercely towards where he'd last seen his foe when to his immense horror-

_Flicker_

-Ganondorf caught his arm with one hand and with a devilish smirk twisted around, heaving Link upward and tossing him effortlessly across the room like a rag doll. Link crashed loudly into a filing cabinet and pain exploded throughout his side. His mind was disoriented, struggling to fight past the memories that kept cropping up in his mind so he could focus on the battle at hand.

Certain that he'd broken a rib, Link struggled rise, grasping wildly at the nearest object-a tall, free standing metal lamp-and flinging it desperately at Ganondorf.

With an impatient sigh, Ganon caught the object in his free hand. Then, hefting it in his arms he swung it baseball style straight at Link's head. With a cry of alarm Link was forced to dip backward to avoid the blow, feeling the wind pass over his face as the-

_Flicker_

-Trident came within centimeters of his nose. Scrambling to the side, Link darted away from the wall, over the garish Triforce insignia that was printed on the floor. His footsteps echoed loudly off the gold tiles and the torches in the corners cast shadows in every direction; dancing shadows that seemed to flicker with malevolence, tricking Link's imagination into believing that his foe was everywhere at once.

Blinking hurriedly, Link shook his head in an effort to clear away the distracting thoughts, focusing on Ganon's massive, hulking form, the red cape billowing out behind him as he sneered coldly at Link from across the antechamber.

Ganon swung his massive bladed weapon once more, but this time Link was prepared; ducking the blow, he darted quickly within Ganon's reach, jabbing him twice in the side with his own weapon. With a bellow of pain, Ganon swatted his arm towards Link's head, but once more Link rolled nimbly out of his way, coming up just in time to see Ganon turn and hurl the Trident in his direction.

_Flicker_

With a yelp Link dove frantically behind Sahasralah's desk for protection as the lamp narrowly missed him, exploding harmlessly against the wall, raining bits of metal down on a screaming Zelda.

"Coward!" Ganondorf boomed loudly, taunting Link. "Come out and face me like a man, Hero! Or are you too afraid?"

Scowling, Link wiped the beaded sweat from his forehead as he fought for breath, his heard hammering painfully in his chest. What was happening to him? It was as though memories from his past lives were merging together, coalescing into a terrifying montage of final showdowns between him and Ganondorf. Worst of all, they were distracting him, making it hard for him to tell if what he was seeing was really happening or just some figment of a long-forgotten battle.

Reaffirming his grip on the stapler, Link took a deep breath readied himself to face his enemy once more.

_Please, Goddesses, let the visions stop so I can focus on the battle at hand…_

His prayers, it seemed, were not answered.

Darting out from around the desk, the scene flickered again, and suddenly he wasn't behind a desk, but a large chunk of rubble. Link swung his makeshift weapon in desperation, aware that attempting to defeat Ganon with his current tool was futile but pressing on anyway. The air was heavy was the acrid scent of smoke, stinging Link's eyes and choking his airway.

Ganon met Link's blow with one of his own, their weapons colliding and bouncing off each other uselessly. Rolling to the side, Link made every effort possible to get behind Ganon, hoping for a chance to strike him in his blind spot. His feet crunched noisily on the gravel and broken bits of stone below as lightening arched wildly overhead, the thunder booming with so much force that the very earth seemed to tremble with its might.

A muffled scream suddenly drew his attention, and he turned his head from side to side, desperately seeking out Zelda, making sure she hadn't been harmed. Ganon, however, took advantage of his distraction, slashing savagely at Link's arm.

The lightning flashed once again and the world seemed to hold it's breath…

_Flicker_

Link stumbled back, clutching his right arm in agony as he gingerly examined the wound. The gash was long, but thankfully not very deep, and stretched from the apex of his deltoid down to the pit of his elbow. His shirtsleeve was rent in two, blood flowing freely down his arm, slick and wet and warm.

Ganondorf laughed in triumph, his voice nearly overriding Zelda's horrified squeak at the sight of Link's blood.

Enraged, Link charged Ganon once more, his stapler at the ready, but Ganondorf let loose another wild swipe with his knife, keeping Link at bay. Undeterred, Link charged again, repeatedly slapping at Ganon with his stapler, searching for an opening. For all of his desperation, however, his attacks were in vain; Link couldn't even tell if what staples he managed to get in were slowing him down any, Ganondorf's attacks as ferocious as ever. For every swing of Link's that wasn't parried by Ganon's knife, a staple entered Ganon's body, making his clothing stick to his body in odd places, but Ganon acted for all the world like he couldn't feel them at all.

Deciding it was time for a different tactic, Link moved further back, away from the desk, searching for space to move freely but before he could act Ganondorf surprised him with a lunge, his forearm slamming into Link's chest, sending Link stumbling backward. Twisting on the spot, Ganon followed up with a ferocious kick that would have put Link down in two seconds flat, but at the last moment-

_Flicker_

-Link ducked, rolling under the strike, popping up behind Ganondorf with a heroic cry as he leapt into the air, striking Ganon on the back of the head with the butt of his weapon.

Ganon let out a roar of pain as he staggered forward, his free-hand clutching at the back of his head, rage painted on his face. Link faced him, ready, ignorant of the rain that poured all around them. A torrential downpour seemed to be coming from the sky, as though the very sea itself was crashing down on top of them, soaking through their clothing, plastering Link's unruly blonde hair to his head.

Ganon lunged again, his heavy footsteps splashing in the numerous rocky puddles around them, slashing wildly with his blade, but Link sidestepped again, swiping at the larger man's arm, scoring a glancing blow on his shoulder.

Darting away swiftly before Ganon could retaliate, Link let out a sudden gasp of surprise as he slipped in one of the puddles, losing his footing and crashing to the ground with a pained "oof!", mud splattering everywhere, his weapon flying out of his hand.

_Flicker_

Rising onto all-fours, Link scrambled forward, searching desperately for the stapler when Ganondorf suddenly seized his leg, tugging him roughly backward across the scratchy carpet, leaving nasty rug burns on his chin and forearms.

Laughing in triumph, Ganondorf raised his knife high in the air, ready to stab, keeping the struggling Link in place with a vice grip on his ankle. At the last second Link twisted around and lashed out wildly with his free foot, catching Ganon just beneath the chin. His captor staggered backward with a curse, releasing his hold on Link's foot.

Scuttling backward, Link cast his eyes about wildly for his weapon, desperate to find it before Ganon recovered. A feminine grunt from behind him caught his attention, and he turned his head just in time to see Zelda, her limbs still bound with tape, twist her body and kick the wayward office tool, sending it skittering across the carpet towards Link.

Sending her a brief look of gratitude, Link snatched it up hurriedly and turned to look back across the-

_Flicker_

-field towards his archenemy, the world seeming to glow in the orange haze of twilight as the sun set off in the horizon. The air was warm and humid, the sweet scent of grass thick in the air as the distant sound of crickets and cicadas echoed throughout the land, ignorant of the battle for life just before them.

Ganondorf, on his part, looked livid. Snarling venomously down at Link, he roared in rage, "Enough! Die, Hero!", and charged, putting the full force of his might behind one final stab with his blade.

Link didn't have a lot of time to react. Struggling to rise to his feet, he barely managed to grasp his weapon in both hands before Ganondorf's body collided ferociously with his own. At the last second, Link took a chance… and managed to catch Ganon's blade with his own.

The two stood like that for a moment, locked in fierce combat, faces inches from each other, weapons connected, each struggling with all of their might to force the other one back.

"Do you really think you're stronger than me, Hero?" Ganondorf grunted, confidence at his assured victory painted on his face. "Me? The King of Thieves? The Emperor of Darkness? The bearer of the Triforce of Power? You honestly believe you can defeat me?"

Link could feel his boots slowly begin to slide backward in the loose dirt and grass, Ganondorf's strength beyond him. Looking up into the feral, yellow-eyed stare of the monster before him, Link answered truthfully.

_Flicker_

"I know I can."

Ganondorf grunted darkly, a look of fierce determination on his face as he prepared himself to use the last of his strength to push Link back. Link, however, had something else in mind.

Right as Ganondorf moved to push forward, Link willingly fell back, rolling neatly onto his back. Ganon let out a cry of surprise as he fell forward onto Link, his hands still holding the knife that was trapped in Link's stapler. Utilizing the momentum of Ganon's would-be lunge, Link hiked his legs up between himself and Ganondorf, and as they fell back he kicked out with all of his might, sending Ganondorf flipping over him, crashing into Sahasralah's desk.

Scrambling to his feet, Link managed to pick himself up just before the disoriented Ganondorf. Closing the stapler with a snap, he seized the office tool in both hands and, just as Ganon managed to rise on one knee, his hands searching frantically for the knife he dropped, Link let out a roar and slammed the butt of the stapler into Ganon's temple with the last of his strength.

And just like that, Ganondorf fell, his eyes rolling back into his head, the knife tumbling uselessly to the floor beside his unconscious body.

Link stood there for a moment, gasping for breath, his limbs trembling from the adrenaline rush, not trusting what his eyes were telling him had just happened. He'd won? Ganondorf was down? It was over? His entire body ached, his ribs burned, his arm stung as blood still dripped from his fingers, but still he didn't sit down or move away, not trusting himself to move his gaze from the unmoving figure on the floor.

A soft whimper from the right managed to slice through his stunned reverie, and with a start he remembered the girl in the corner.

"Zelda!" Link blurted out, dropping the stapler and rushing to her side. Dropping to his knees he slid the last few feet, coming to a rest beside her. Tenderly, he lifted her up into a sitting position so her back rested against the wall.

"Oh, Zel… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…" Link murmured softly, gently cupping her face with his hands, wiping her tears away with his thumbs. She was still trembling, but her crying at least seemed to have stopped for a moment. Gently brushing the hair out of her eyes, Link was momentarily breathless; even beaten, bruised, and bound by a maniac, her beauty was undiminished.

She made an impatient grunting noise, and Link jumped with a start. "Oh! Right, sorry! Here, let me just…"

Delicately, he grabbed the edge of the duct tape that covered her mouth and slowly peeled it off, trying his hardest not to pull it too fast and hurt her.

"Ow…" Zelda muttered softly once the tape was fully removed, wincing as she took a moment to work her jaw, stretching her tired facial muscles.

"There. Better?" he asked somewhat breathlessly, still exhausted from his showdown with Ganondorf.

"Much better. Thank you." she murmured in reply, and then for a moment they both were at a loss for words. Swallowing roughly, Link's gaze met her own and for a moment, he was paralyzed; her brilliant amaranthine irises still sparkled with tears that were waiting to fall, but the only emotions he could see reflected in them were slight confusion and awe. Slowly she looked him over, wincing every time her eyes alighted on a new injury.

"Your arm… does it hurt?" she asked hesitantly, and Link shrugged, trying to appear masculine and tough so as to not worry her.

"Not too bad. It doesn't really sting anymore."

She looked unconvinced, so Link decided to change the subject. Casting his eyes around for something to say, he finally noticed her limbs were still bound behind her back.

"Oh crap! Hold on, let me get you free."

She chuckled lightly at his flustered expression, but allowed him to turn her to the side and start working at the duct tape that bound her wrists.

"Link…" Zelda asked softly as he withdrew the screw he'd used to cut Kafei free earlier from his pocket and began hacking at her bindings.

"Hmm?" he grunted in response, his attention focused mainly on trying not to accidentally knick her wrist in his zealous efforts to liberate her limbs.

"…why did you come for me?"

Link hesitated, suddenly feeling very hot and uncomfortable, not daring to look into her eyes. The problem was, he wasn't entirely sure how to answer her question. Why had he come? Because as the Hero of Time it was his duty to protect the Princess of Destiny? It was a valid answer, perhaps, and one he knew she'd accept without comment, only… He knew deep down that wasn't the truth. At least, not all of it.

"Because…" he started, trailing off awkwardly as the words needed to explain his motives died on his tongue. What was he supposed to say? What could he possibly say to convey exactly what he wanted to tell her?

With a snap, he tore through the last bit of tape that bound her hands behind her back.

"Ah, there we go!" He said quickly, hoping it would distract her enough to allow him to change the subject to something less dangerous. Gently peeling the tape off of her skin, he let her sit back against the wall as he pulled her legs forward and began attacking the tape that bound her feet while she gently began massaging her wrists.

"Link?" She asked again, and Link studiously ignored her, feeling his face start to heat up.

"Link," She said again, this time more forcefully, gently taking his chin in her hand and tilting his head up to meet her gaze. Her eyes, so kind and concerned, seemed to pierce into his very soul and he soon found himself swallowing gruffly in an effort to clear his oddly obstructed airway. "Why…?"

"Because you matter to me." He blurted out before he could stop himself, his voice sounding raspy and unnatural to his ears.

Zelda blinked in surprise, her cheeks turning pink. "I… what?"

"You matter to me." Link repeated softly, deciding that if he was going to do this, he might as well go all the way. "For some reason I can't really begin to explain, you're important to me, and I couldn't bare it if anything happened to you. And maybe it's because of who we are; you the Princess of Destiny, and me the Hero of Time, and maybe it's just some aspect of our former lives that carried over, but… I don't think so. Before I knew anything about this, the Triforce and Destiny and everything, you were already important to me… Or well, I already cared about you. Which sounds crazy, because I've only known you for about a day, and what kind of guy decides to risk his life for some girl he barely knows? I mean, I know every time I look at you my heart stops beating and I can't focus on anything and then I say really stupid things, but I…"

Link cut off with a strangled choke, his face turning beet red as he realized what he'd just said. Utterly mortified, he turned his attention back to hacking through the tape that restrained her ankles, inwardly hating himself for not keeping his stupid mouth shut.

That was stupid, he decided bitterly. _He_ was stupid. She was probably totally freaked out right now; emotionally unstable after what had just happened to them, and when he's supposed to be supportive and comforting he decides to lay _that_ on the table instead? Forget the fact that he just saved her life, he wouldn't be surprised if she never wanted to talk to him again. Since when had he become such a scatter-brained idiot around girls, anyway? What was wrong with him?

Ugh… Face down the most evil villain of all time? Sure. Admit his feelings to the girl he liked? …He'd almost rather face the villain again. Almost.

For a moment, the awkward silence seemed to stretch out between them indefinitely, making Link hate himself even more. Clearing his throat roughly, he gave the screw one last jerk, severing the last strand of duct tape, freeing Zelda at last.

"So… yeah." Link said blankly, tossing the screw off to the side. "I guess… You're free, so… Let's just hurry up and get out of here, and then…"

Link kept his eyes averted throughout his whole awkward speech, not daring to look at the girl in front of him, so naturally he jumped in surprise when he felt her small, delicate hands reach out and grasp his own.

Startled, he gazed down at their linked hands, his mind not fully comprehending what he was seeing. Slowly, Zelda let her thumb slide across the Triforce symbol on the back of his hand before giving them both a reassuring squeeze.

Hesitantly, Link let his eyes travel from her delicate hands up her arms, past Link's own favorite green hoodie until at last, with slight trepidation, his gaze met hers. To his immense surprise, Link could see the exact same fear and uncertainty he felt reflected in her perfect irises.

Zelda swallowed uncomfortably before murmuring, "Link, you… You're important to me too…"

And then suddenly, without warning, she was moving forward, her head tilting down slightly to meet his, her golden hair falling in cascading rivulets in front of her face. Link felt his breath hitch, his mind going completely blank in shock. He couldn't stop glancing down at her perfect lips as they slowly grew closer, reveling in her warmth, not able to believe that he'd actually done it; saved her from Ganondorf's clutches and somehow managed to win her over. Things, it seemed, were finally looking up…

The only warning he had was the slight flicker of motion reflected in Zelda's eyes before Zelda suddenly surged forward, tackling him to the ground and rolling to the side. Not even a second later there was a tremendous crash like a miniature explosion had gone off and Link was showered with splinters and bits of wood.

Struggling to pick himself up with Zelda's weight atop his chest, Link stared in stupefaction at where he had been kneeling just a moment earlier; the remains of Sahasralah's desk lay in pieces all around his half of the office, a massive hole in the wall right where Zelda had been sitting. If she hadn't pushed him down when she had…

Jerking his head to the side, Link felt his stomach drop out… for there, standing in the center of the office right where the desk had been a moment earlier, stood Ganondorf, his chest heaving, his eyes glowing with murderous rage.

No… they were glowing. Literally. They were two yellow orbs of sinister light, granting Ganon the image of an inhuman monster.

"Did you think it was over, Hero?" Ganon spat, his voice hoarse and grating, his entire frame trembling with rage.

Link said nothing, slowly rising to his feet, his arms wrapped protectively around Zelda..

"Did you think, perhaps, that I could be so easily defeated? That you had won, and you and your precious Princess could waltz off and live happily ever after? Well think again, Hero! Do you not know who I am? I am Ganondorf, the King of Thieves, the bearer of the Triforce of Power! _I am immortal!"_

And with that, he thrust his arms out to either side, letting out a roar of rage. From his body, something dark seemed to burst forth, like a shockwave of pure evil. Link braced himself a moment before it hit him, but he and Zelda were still slammed back against the wall by its sheer force.

Like a dark wind, the malevolent aura exuded from his body sent objects in the room flying; the splinters from the ruined desk were whipped about in the maelstrom, pictures torn violently from the wall, the filing cabinet toppling over like a domino. With the sound of shattering glass, the windows were blown apart, shards raining down three stories along with the tattered remains of the thick plastic blinds that had covered them.

The sudden sunlight that exploded into the room seemed to sear Link's eyes, blinding him, and he struggled to blink through the tears as his vision adjusted to the scene before him. Ganondorf stood tall and impassive before the now-open windows, his figure a dark silhouette before the blinding sunshine, his eyes still glowing like monstrous yellow orbs.

Releasing Zelda, Link staggered forward against the dark pressure, determined to finish Ganondorf once and for all. Only too late did he remember that he'd dropped his stapler earlier and it was nowhere to be seen, presumably blown away by the force of Ganon's radiating evil energy.

Ganon let out a mirthless chuckle as Link advanced slowly, weaponless, his hair whipping about in the wind. And then suddenly…. the energy stopped. All was quiet. There wasn't a sound apart from the slight breeze blowing in through the now-open windows…

"Link, watch out!" Zelda suddenly shrieked, and Link started, barely moving in time to avoid what would have been a fatal slash to the throat.

Stumbling across the carpet, Link dove again to avoid a second stab, his mind reeling frantically. When had Ganondorf gotten so fast? It was as though he were fighting an entirely different person than the man he'd battled before. It took every ounce of skill and speed he possessed to avoid Ganon's strikes, but he knew he couldn't keep this up forever. Sooner or later, something was going to go wrong.

And he was right. Not even a moment later, Link moved to fake past another of Ganondorf's strikes when suddenly his free arm caught him around the chest. Before Link could react, Ganon let out a bark of triumph and slammed Link against the wall beside one of the windows, his hands tightening around Link's throat.

"And now, Hero…" Ganondorf growled, his fang-like teeth bared in glee, "We end this…"

"No!" Zelda cried out desperately, charging forward recklessly.

Without even glancing backward, Ganondorf held up a hand and a wall of dark energy seemed to spring forward, slamming into Zelda and knocking her backward with a strangled cry of anguish.

Link tried to call out to her, to make sure she was ok, but Ganon's hold was restricting his airway. His fingers clawed frantically at Ganon's arm, attempting to pry his hand free, but to no avail. He was simply too strong.

Before Ganondorf could turn his attention back to Link, however, there was a sudden zing-like sound that echoed throughout the room. Ganondorf's face grew impatient and he turned his attention out the window where he glared down with a menacing expression on his face.

There soon came another zing, followed by another, and it took Link a second to realize what they were- police snipers! When Ganondorf had blown the windows out he'd given the police a clear view of what was happening upstairs! The bullets flew through the window, lodging themselves harmlessly in the ceiling, each one seeming to barely miss Ganondorf.

Ganon looked unimpressed. Waving his hand across the open expanse, a wall of dark energy seemed to stretch across the hole, covering the entire window. The zing came again, but this time the bullet bounced harmlessly off of the wall of energy Ganon had erected.

"Now, where were we…" Ganon chuckled evilly. Link fixed him with the most threatening look he could manage in his oxygen-deprived state, but he was quickly starting to lose his ability to focus, black dots exploding all over his vision.

"Ah yes. Goodbye, Hero."

And just like that Ganon's knife pierced the soft flesh of Link's belly, and he released his hold on his throat.

Link slumped back against the wall in shock, pain radiating from his naval, acute agony such as he had never before experienced. He struggled to inhale through his newly-liberated windpipe, but his body didn't seem to be responding to his commands.

He'd been stabbed… He'd been stabbed? This wasn't supposed to happen, he was the Hero! He wasn't supposed to lose! There had to be some sort of mistake!

But even as his mind struggled to grasp this foreign concept, he knew with a sinking certainty that it was true. He was dying. Link Hero was dying. His hands clasped feebly over the hilt of the dagger still protruding from his naval, his fingers trembling, not fully responding to his commands. He struggled to get a grip on the handle but it was too slippery with blood… his blood… scarlet and wet, dripping all over his pants, pooling on the ground below his feet…

It was over. He was going to die.

Somewhere in the haze of pain, he saw Ganondorf stride across the room to Zelda's body, lifting her off the floor and dragging her across the room.

"Now, Princess… Shall I end your life in front of the window, so Smith and all his flunkies can see just how hopeless defying me really is?"

The part of Link that was still coherent struggled to move, but he was slowly losing all the feeling in his legs. There was nothing he could do to save her… he watched in agony, his vision starting to blur, as Ganondorf positioned himself directly in front of the windows, Zelda's sobbing, struggling form held in his grasp.

"Do not worry, Princess." Ganon said with mock sympathy, "You will be joining your beloved Hero soon."

And he held his hand out before her face, a small ball of black energy forming in his palm. Zelda screamed again, the sound of her terror spurring Link on in his struggle to maintain consciousness, but it was hopeless.

There was no way he could stem the blood flow, no way to return strength to his limbs, no way to save the girl he cared for. It was over. He was done.

There was nothing he could do. It was impossible.

And then, unbidden, the words seemed to spring back into his mind from earlier.

…_**Impossible?**_

And he remembered…

_It's not a question of if it can be done…_

_**But rather, are you willing to try?**_ The strange voice whispered to him once more.

The Triforce insignia on the back of his hand flared once more, and Link made the decision- He was going to die, yes. But he was going to make sure he took Ganondorf with him, if it was the last thing he did.

Tightening his hold on the knife, Link clenched his teeth and squeezed his eyes as tight as he could, trying not to groan as he concentrated every ounce of his will-power to one simple task: Pulling the knife back out.

Nothing in his life could have ever prepared him for this; the agony was so intense, so sickening, that he nearly lost consciousness. His hands were still trembling, and added to the slipperiness of the handle, the process was beyond laborious. Before the entire blade cleared his abdomen, the blood flow increased dramatically, and by the time he had the knife gripped in his shaky fist it seemed to be flowing out of him in a stream.

Knowing he was swiftly running out of time, Link struggled to take his first step forward, toward Ganondorf, but his feet still weren't exactly responding to his commands, and he ended up half stepping/half stumbling forward. Pushing himself away from the wall, he staggered toward his foe, his entire body trembling, a cold chill sinking in, fingers starting to go numb…

Zelda noticed him first. Her eyes, tear filled and panic stricken, noticed the movement over Ganondorf's shoulder and widened in shock when she recognized who it was. Ganondorf, taking note of her reaction, glanced curiously over his shoulder.

"What the-?" he snarled, disbelief evident on his face, dropping Zelda unceremoniously and turning his full attention toward Link.

He was too late.

Charging the last few feet, Link tackled Ganondorf… or rather, stumbled and fell into, but the effect was the same. Link's momentum knocked Ganondorf off balance, and together the two teenagers teetering precariously on the ledge of the third-story window. Desperate to ensure Ganon's defeat, Link threw caution to the wind and, utilizing the last of his strength, buried the knife in the gap between two of Ganondorf's ribs.

The taller boy let out a roar of agony, and then together the two Triforce bearers toppled out the window.

At the last second Zelda darted forward with a terrified cry, snagging Link's arm and ripping him away from Ganondorf.

And Ganondorf fell, his scream fading away until it abruptly cut off with a sickening thud.

Link hung there for a moment, his eyes hazy with pain and blood loss, staring blankly up at the beautiful blonde girl above him, her frame quivering with the effort of holding on to the larger boy, her hair whipping wildly about in the wind. She had one arm clinging to the wall, the other clamped tightly around Link's wrist, her look a mask of emotion and desperation.

Even in Link's weakened, near-dead state, he could tell; Zelda couldn't last much longer. Even if she had the strength to hold him, she'd never be able to get him back inside the window. To make matters worse, Link's hands were coated in blood from his stab wound, and try as she might to hold on, he was slowly slipping through her fingers.

"I won't let you go, Link…" Zelda called desperately, her voice choked with tears and strained with effort.

Slowly, Link shook his head. Every second she spent clinging to him she was in danger of falling out herself. He was dying anyway… she needed to let him go…

"I won't…"

Her grip had slid past his wrist; any second now…

"No…"

He was down to his fingers…

"Please…"

"Let me go." Link whispered softly.

"No!"

"Zelda…"

"No, Link, I can… I can pull you back up, I-"

"No…"

"I won't let you go!"

Link shook his head resignedly, a sad smile on his face as his vision slowly clouded over, and then her grip finally gave away.

And he was falling, falling, the wind whistling through his hair, his body tumbling over itself, Zelda's scream piercing his mind as his thoughts slowly faded to nothing, and then there he was, lost in a world of bright white light, warmth enveloping him, a vaguely familiar verdant figure coming toward him, her arms outstretched, and a gentle whisper of "You did well, my son…"

And then he was gone.

* * *

_Ok, first things first..._

_What can I say, guys? For those of you who bothered to check my profile over the last couple months, and those select few who I was able to respond to their reviews, you guys already know why I took so long to update. For those who don't, let's just chalk it down to 'computer errors', a new time-consuming job, and a whole lot of writers block. _

_Anyways..._

_So what'd you all think? Was it epic enough? Did it live up to your expectations? Honestly, I'm not quite sure how I feel about the ending... If you only knew how much work I put into this over the last couple days... I even faked sick so I could stay home and work on it. I had hoped to get it up yesterday, but it just got to the point where I kept reading the same line over and over and finally I just had to stop. Anyway, if you have any questions, feel free to ask me for clarification and I'll be happy to oblige. _

_**This story is not over; there's still the epilogue**_ _which I hope to get up sometime in a week or two. Don't hold me to that; I have a lot of crap coming up this week, but trust that it'll be up before the month is out. The Epilogue shouldn't be too tough to write. Which reminds me..._

_Dear readers: You have been phenominal to me throughout the course of this story. Putting up with my garbage, supporting me even when my chapters were less-than-fantastic, spurring me on when I hadn't updated in weeks (special shout out to everyone who reviewed the last chapter; I had only hoped to breach 100 reviews, and look at me now: From the moment I'm posting this, I'm up to 172. You guys totally blew me away!) And as a thanks for your awesomeness, I want to do something special for you guys (or gals, as it were). And this is what I want to do. _

_1. For everyone who reviews this chapter, I will post my response in the Author's Note at the end of the Epilogue. This is sort of a trend I've noticed, at least when it comes to the ending chapters for longer stories, and it's one that I'm fond of. If you ask me a question, I'll likely answer it in a PM or something, but I'll still respond to you in the epilogue, so future readers can see how much I love you. hahaha  
_

_2. Let me know what you want to see happen in the ending, and I'll see if I can't fit it in there, just for you. I mean nothing too overboard; I have a general plan for the ending, but there's always room to accomodate my fans. Any characters you want me to bring back for the finale? Anyone you wanted to see in the story who didn't make an appearance? You have an idea for how a specific character's story should end? Or something else I haven't thought of? Let me know, and if I like it, I'll add it in there and give you credit!_

_And finally..._

_3. ...Sequel? So yeah, it's right about now in every person's multi-chapter story that people start to ask 'is there going to be a sequel?' My answer? ... I dunno. That's entirely up to you. If enough people want one, then definitely. If you all think it should stay as it is, then leave it I shall. I honestly hadn't given it any thought until a couple days ago, and I somehow managed to come up with a general storyline. Now you're probably saying, 'Zesty, how in the world could you possibly write a sequel? You killed off all the bad guys. And you can't write two stories about school shootings.' You are correct, of course. The sequel would not be about a school shooting; but rather, a school field trip to Castletown. The only other things I'll say are: Museum. Master Sword. Dark Link. ...and maybe Majora, if I can tie that in without it beign too weird. If you'd like more clarification, send me a message and I'll be glad to expound a bit more. But again, I haven't given it that much thought, and the only way I'd do it is if you tell me you want me to. If you feel like this story should stay as it is, then please, tell me. The way you answer will have a big impact on the ending of this story..._

_So... yeah. There it is, the Climax of Hit List. It's been quite the ride, hasn't it? Thank you all so much for being such supportive readers, and I'll see you all again in the epilogue! (Also, just because I feel like it's mandatory... let's shoot for 200 reviews! hahaha)_

_And remember:_

_Keept it Zesty!_

_ZC  
_


	18. Epilogue: Part 1

_Oooooh goodness... Hey guys, what's up? Surprised to see me alive? I know, I know... not updating the epilogue since July? Seriously, who does that? Crappy, horrible authors who don't respect their readers like they should, that's who. Words cannot convey how sorry I am for the wait, guys... Really, I'll understand all the rage-reviews and flames I'm likely to get for this. My bust..._

_On a slightly more different, hopefully good and yet potentially just as infuriating note... the story isn't over! Haha... ha... No, really. It is, but it's not. See, here's the thing... My epilogue, which was supposed to be small kinda sorta... grew... really really big... like really. Chapter 16's laviathenesque lengths? Yeah, nothing compared to this. I'm bordering on 80 pages on Word right now, and I was NOT going to load another demon chapter again. I can't do that to you guys. So instead, I'm dividing the Epilogue into two parts. _

_I'll explain the rest at the end, since this author note is getting a tad ridiculous... Anyway, enjoy part one of the epilogue to Hit List!_

* * *

**Epilogue**

**Part One  
**

The world was green.

Well… Perhaps a more accurate description would be 'the world was various shades of green, mixed with some browns and yellows and a few shades of red', but that was a bit much to process at the moment, so he decided to stick with a simple 'green'.

Link found himself in the middle of a forest clearing, surrounded by life. He wasn't sure where he was, or how he came to be there, but for the moment he was too distracted by the breathtaking scenery to care much. Trees, some short and young, some ancient and as tall as the sky itself, rose all around him out of the rich chocolate ground. The grass ran wild and untamed as far as his eyes could see, dotted with dandelions and wildflowers, vines crawling up the trunks of weathered oaks and moss dotting the tops of ancient boulders. The air smelled fresh and clean, rich with the scent of forest air that he had loved so much as a child when his Grandfather had taken him and his sister out to the mountains to play and explore…

Something wasn't quite normal, however.

The light that illuminated the woods… It seemed to glow with an ethereal quality, making everything it touched seem fey and magical… and yet, Link couldn't tell where the light was coming from. There was no sun in the sky; rather, the sky was one endless sheet of glowing gold without a cloud in sight. The light seemed to be coming from everywhere and nowhere at once, eliminating the shadows that ought to have existed. The result was a strange loss of depth perception, making it difficult for Link to tell exactly how far away anything actually was.

Also… there were the glowing balls of light.

All around the woods, hundreds of thousands of tiny glowing balls of light flitted and floated their way in between the trees; they flew in packs or else drifted alone, some alighting on the tips of flowers and others on the ends of tree branches. They chased each other around, over fallen logs and under the boughs of trees, racing between the rocks and over the streams and all across the meadow, bobbing and weaving and dodging and frolicking in an all-around dizzying performance.

When the overall oddness of the situation finally seemed to catch up with him, Link staggered back weakly from the sight of it, his mind reeling.

"That's it." He muttered aloud, feeling dazed. "I'm dead."

A frenetic eruption of giggles had him whirling around on the spot in alarm, throwing his hands up defensively, waiting to be attacked by whoever had crept up so silently behind him.

What he found, however, was not what he was expecting.

"Dead?" the little girl asked, grinning up at him in dimpled amusement, her hands interlocked behind her back. "Why would you think something silly like that?"

"I, um…" Link spluttered, momentarily stymied. The girl standing before him was arguably the most peculiar thing he'd ever seen. She was short and wiry, with large, twinkling eyes and an omnipresent smile, complete with an adorable dimple. She wore a simple faded white shirt and a pair of unassuming brown pants that cut off mid-calf, below which her feet were completely bare, her toes wiggling playfully in the dirt. Her hair was at least a dozen different shades of green, tied back in two verdant pigtails on either side of her head that streamed down past her shoulders and swayed playfully in the wind. Around her neck hung a flute made of hollowed reeds suspended on a thong of worn leather. Judging by her appearance, if Link hadn't known any better he would have guessed she was about nine or ten.

There was something about her eyes, though… The dark, rich green of moss; they twinkled with merriment and joy, and yet… There was something deep and unfathomable about them, something vast and knowing that made him shiver uncomfortably. And in a way, she frightened him.

"Um…?" The girl parroted back to him playfully, and he started out of his blank reverie.

"Um… I, uh… I'm sorry. Are you saying I'm not dead?" he asked hesitantly, deciding that wherever he was, and whoever she was, he clearly had no idea what was going on and needed to rectify that immediately.

The girl put on a pensive frown at his question and cocked her head to the side thoughtfully.

"Hmm…" she hummed lightly, sucking her lips in and giving him a studious look. Suddenly, she stepped forward and startled him by reaching up with both hands and grabbing his cheeks, squishing them around.

"…nope, you don't feel very dead." She stated matter-of-factly, pulling his cheeks apart painfully. Leaning forward, she gave an audible sniff and said, "You don't smell very dead either. Looks like you're still alive to me."

Flustered, Link stepped back from the strange girl and said, awkwardly, "Er… great. Who are you exactly?"

At this, the girl simply gave a knowing smile and said, "You keep asking the silliest questions, Hero. You know me."

Link stared at her blankly, resisting the urge to say something like '_um, no, I don't actually_' and waited for her to elaborate. Instead, she held her arms aloft and twirled around, giggling as a sudden breeze kicked up, rustling through the trees and grass and whipping her hair about.

"Come on, Hero!" She called out, pausing in her revelry to shoot him a cheerful look. "Don't just stand there, walk with me!"

Link gave a resigned sigh; clearly, he wasn't going to be getting any easy answers from her. Breaking into a trot, he headed off after the small, strange girl, following her between the trunks of massive trees and down a large grassy hill. The girl was skipping ahead of him, giggling occasionally as she twirled about, her hair streaming behind her as the tiny faerie lights swirled around her, seemingly rejoicing in her presence.

After a moment, Link began to notice that something about him felt odd. His clothing felt heavier than he remembered. Glancing down, he was momentarily surprised to find that his outfit had been completely altered.

Where before he'd been wearing his classic dirty skater shoes, his baggy jeans and his black 'Skull Keeta' T-shirt, he now had a whole new wardrobe. On his feet he bore well-worn, sturdy leather boots that reached all the way up to his knees. Beyond that, he had on light khaki pants of a material he didn't recognize, though was surprisingly comfortable. His shirts were the strangest; he had on two- one, a white long-sleeve turtleneck with what felt like lace around the collar, and the other a large, baggy green short sleeved thing (the word tunic came strangely to mind) that extended down below his waist to about mid-thigh and was surprisingly heavy. On his hands he had some nice, sturdy gauntlets that reached almost to his elbows, heavily padded and complete with finger holes. To complete the bizarre ensemble he had on a wide leather belt with a large golden buckle cinched about his waist, and a floppy green hat sat perched upon his head.

Strangely enough, he felt right in this outfit, almost like he was born to wear it. Something was missing, however; some part of him wasn't complete… And yet try as he might, he couldn't put his finger on what it was.

It took him a moment to realize he'd lost sight of the little girl. Scowling at himself for not paying attention he trudged on, careful not to tread on any of the flowers or run into any of the strange glowing lights. Just when he was beginning to despair of ever finding her, he heard it; the light, playful sound of a pan flute echoing from a clearing just ahead.

He found her soon thereafter, perched primly atop a boulder, holding the flute daintily up to her lips as she played a quick, lively tune that made the strange glowing lights seem to dance around her excitedly. As he approached her, panting slightly, they scattered, hiding out amongst the trees and bushes that surrounded the clearing.

Momentarily distracted by their beauty, he asked, "What are they?"

"Fairies, silly." She replied, in the tone of one explaining something incredibly obvious. Letting her flute drop so that it swung once more on the thong around her neck, she rested her chin in her hands and observed Link with quiet eagerness.

"Fairies…" Link said softly, awe and wonder filling his voice as he turned in place slowly and examined the lights with newfound interest. "Fairies… what kind of place is this?"

He had meant it more as a rhetorical question, but she answered just the same.

"This," she said, leaning back and holding her arms out above her, "is a special place. A silent place. A _Sacred_ place. This is the world between our worlds, Hero, where the Golden Power was said to once reside."

"The… Golden Power?" Link repeated, feeling suddenly apprehensive.

"Yes, Hero." She said quietly, beaming at him. "A piece of which you now bear, as is your right."

Slowly, Link lifted his right hand and stared at the golden insignia emblazoned on the back of his gauntlet.

"The Triforce…" he breathed, hardly daring to believe what he was hearing.

The girl giggled again, seemingly glad that he'd come to the correct conclusion. Hopping down off the rock with a flourish, she turned and began twirling around the clearing again, pausing only to leap atop a fallen log and begin walking along it with her arms outstretched like a trapeze artist.

"But then…" Link said, following after her at a distance. "But then that means that… that this is the Sacred Realm."

"Yep!" the girl chirped brightly, giggling as a number of fairies alighted on her arms, one going to far as to tickle her nose.

Link was floored. "But…" he spluttered, his mind reeling at the implications. "But this… I mean… It's not… how did I get here?"

"I brought you here." The girl answered, stepping down off the log and turning to face him. The fairies who'd been hitching a ride vanished into the trees as if sensing the shift in mood. "I felt that my sisters and I owed you an explanation, and a warning."

"You…" Link said slowly, trying in vain to process the information. 'Your sisters… A-are you a spirit?"

The sudden feeling of dread that had surged inside of him all but vanished at the sound of her light, infectious laughter.

"A spirit? No, not really." And once again, she turned her deep, unsettling eyes on him. "Think, Hero. You know me. You, the mortal who perhaps understands best of all the things I stand for."

He stared at her for a moment, uncomprehendingly, until with a start he felt the Triforce on his hand begin to glow. Holding his hand up, he examined the symbol with consternation, watching the golden triangle on the bottom-right side begin to glow with particular fierceness, burning the image into his mind.

A thought occurred to him, then; one so outlandish, so absurd that under normal situations he wouldn't have sparred it a moments notice and yet… deep, deep inside him he knew it to be true. He suddenly felt faint.

"You're the Goddess Farore." He whispered, hoping with all his might that he was wrong.

In response to his statement, she merely smiled knowingly.

The shock of the moment was too great for Link. His knees gave out, and he landed heavily on his backside on the soft grassy ground. Drawing his knees up, he placed his hands on either side of his head and shook it frantically, his breathing erratic.

"No, no, this is crazy, I'm crazy, this is- a dream! Yes, a dream, I'm dreaming, this is all a dream and I'm going to wake up soon and it'll be just like it never happened…"

Farore giggled again. "This is no dream, Hero."

"It has to be!" He blurted out, his eyes wild, pointing his finger at her accusingly. "You're just a kid!"

She cocked her head to the side once again, as though considering his words. In a flash her appearance changed to the form of a beautiful woman in a resplendent emerald dress, the hair flowing down her back threaded with wildflowers before, in the blink of an eye, flashing back to the appearance of a child.

"I am what I am, Hero." she said, stepping in front of him, heedless of his gaping expression. "My spirit is invoked in all that I represent. In the heart of the forest, in the soul of the wind," as she said it, a breeze picked up in the clearing, touching everything in a moment and then vanishing without a trace, "and even in the innocence of a child.

"I represent life; the flow, the change, the chaos. In the beginning it was mine to create, and even now it is my domain. The movement, the progression, the regression- all is reflective of me. All life forms owe their existence to me, and so I serve them also. I am the mother of all; I am Farore."

And just like that, she sat herself cross-legged on the dirt in front of him.

Link blinked, then slowly righted himself, crossing his legs and placing his arms in his lap hesitantly, feeling for all the world like he was back in grade school. Clearing his throat roughly, Link struggled to accept the reality that he was face to face with a Goddess and formulate his thoughts accordingly, just incase she could read them… which, now that he thought about it, she probably could. He shivered involuntarily.

"…why have you brought me here?" he asked again, his voice coming out coarse and shaky. He couldn't seem to swallow past the lump in his throat.

"I told you, Hero. I brought you here because there is much I need to tell you. Yet… I perceive you have questions of your own. That is fine; we are beyond the scope of time in this place, and I will permit you to ask. However, know this: there is much that I cannot tell you, Hero. There are some things you need to discover on your own. Now, ask."

Link hesitated, staring at the body of the young girl before him knowing that inside was a Goddess older than time itself. Her childlike countenance from earlier seemed to have faded, even her voice sounded different; older and more mature. It occurred to him then that one wrong move, one false step, and she could potentially erase him from existence entirely. Not particularly comforting.

Working the moisture back into his dry mouth, he asked, cautiously, "May I ask why?"

"Why?" Farore echoed, tilting her head to the side again so that her ponytails swayed in the breeze.

"Yes, why. Why do the Goddesses always choose me? Why am I the one who always has to suffer and bleed and risk my life to stop Ganondorf and save Hyrule? I only have a handful of fuzzy memories from my past lives, but I know that much is true. Why me?"

Farore seemed to consider his question for a moment, then asked, rhetorically, "Would you rather leave your fate in the hands of another?"

Link thought about that for a moment, then conceded. "Maybe not, but that doesn't really answer my question. I mean, you're a Goddess; couldn't you have stopped Ganondorf on your own? Prevented all the wars and deaths that he's caused over the years? I just don't understand why you'd abandon us like that."

For a moment, Link thought he'd gone too far. The deep, knowing look in Farore's moss-green eyes turned indignant, even reproachful, and Link was certain she was going to turn him into a rat or a ferret or else cause him to spontaneously combust as divine retribution for his insolence.

He did not, however, expect her to hang her head in sorrow, her shoulders slumped. All around her, the trees seemed to droop along with her, the strange source-less golden light dimming along with her mood.

"What would you have us do, Hero? We cannot, as a rule, interfere directly with the lives of mortals. It is why we prepared the Golden Power for you in the first place; that, if the need for our help would arise, one who was worthy might touch it, and with it have their heart's desire granted by our power and bring an age of prosperity unto the people. That there is evil in the world is a truth that cannot be undone, even by one such as I, for a world without evil is a world in which there can be no good. They are two halves of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other."

"And so what?" Link growled, suddenly angry, ignoring the tiny voice of reason in his head that was attempting to remind him he was speaking with a Goddess. "So whenever there's a problem, you just send me in and expect me to clean up the mess? Never mind that I'm risking my life again and again, never mind all the pain and agony I go through, never mind that if I fail the world is doomed eternally. Why does it always have to be me?"

Farore sighed softly, and the entire clearing was bombarded with a rush of wind. "I can answer your question only in part, Hero. I am forbidden by my sisters to reveal too much; such knowledge would be dangerous for you to have at the present. However… you should know, Hero, that I did not choose you."

That caught him by surprise. Blinking rapidly, he held up his left fist and said, "What is this then?"

"The Triforce of Courage does indeed contain my essence, and with it my blessing. I would gladly bestow it upon you were I able Hero, however… You claimed the Triforce of Courage for your own, and by your own ability."

"I don't understand…"

Farore smiled sadly. "Many times, and in many lifetimes, you have claimed my blessing in the past, Hero. You must understand; the Triforce is not something that can merely be given away. It is impossible to claim a piece of the Triforce if your heart is not in tune with it. In this case, Hero, my blessing is yours because you have earned it; because your heart has always been in the right place.

"This is why you are always the Hero. Because you cannot and will not allow yourself to stay still and do nothing when another is in need. Because no walls or borders can contain you. Because you exemplify all that which I stand for- freedom, courage, and life. I did not choose your destiny, Hero… You chose it for yourself."

Link sat motionless on the cushiony grass, allowing Farore's words to sink in. Part of him still wanted to rant and rage and blame all his past sorrows and pains on her, but deep down he knew she was right. Even if he didn't have the Triforce of Courage, he'd still have done whatever it took to rescue Zelda from Ganondorf. Sure, he'd suffered much in the past, and likely would in the future, but so long as it meant his friends and family were safe…

"Do you understand, Hero?"

"I think…. I think I do." He replied softly, and she beamed.

Leaning forward, she cupped his cheeks lightly and turned his face to meet hers.

"You always were my favored, Hero." She said softly. "Always. Now it is time for you to return to your world; you have done much, and have earned your rest. However, there is something I must tell you first."

Gently, she rose to her feet and Link followed, his eyes locked on hers intently, hanging on her every word.

"Your destiny is not yet over, Hero. There is a great and ancient evil in the land, one whose memory has all but been wiped from the world, and it is rising once more. I am forbidden by my sisters to give you anymore information… However, when the time comes for you to take up your Heroic mantle once more, you must seek out your other half, for without it you cannot hope to win. She is the key to your victory."

"Find my other half. Got it." Link said firmly, nodding in understanding.

"When you part from this place, Hero, and awake in your own land, the memories of our visitation will fade from your mind until such a time as you have need of this knowledge. Then, you shall remember it, and you shall remember that we have not forsaken you. Now go, Hero, and sleep."

She stepped forward and, leaning up on her tiptoes, pecked Link lightly on the cheek. Instantly, a strong wind gusted into the clearing, whipping at his hair, tearing through the tree branches with savage ferocity. Link struggled to brace himself against the onslaught, but the wind was too ferocious and, try as he might, he could not keep his footing. He began sliding backward.

"Take care, my son." he thought he heard Farore whisper, but a moment later he was overpowered by the gale which lifted him off his feet, flinging him savagely into the empty sky, and all was lost.

* * *

His first sensation was darkness. Not the frightening, foreign, all-consuming darkness that swallowed all- even existence- within its vast, endlessly gaping maw; but rather a warm, muted, familiar darkness that he quickly recognized as the insides of his eyelids.

And just like that, Link Hero came to the conclusion that he was not, in fact, dead.

The next sensation was pain. His entire body ached as though he'd recently gone twelve-rounds with a magical boxing kangaroo. His right arm in particular seemed to throb with a savage ferocity, and he wasn't entirely sure what was going on with his abdominal region, but his muddled, disoriented mind seemed to flinch away from the swirling vortex of pain and agony that was his stomach when he attempted to mentally probe the area. Every joint seemed to throb in time with the languid beating of his heart, and yet in spite of the pain, Link was grateful for the tiny tidbits of information he was able to gain from them.

His heart was beating; i.e., he was alive. His limbs hurt, which meant they remained wholly intact. And he was capable of keeping up a string of coherent thought; meaning his mind was working properly… Or so he hoped.

However, something still didn't seem right. He distinctly remembered falling… How, and from where he wasn't quite sure; his memory was a little fuzzy on that particular subject, though he seemed to remember someone screaming, the horrible sensation of tumbling through the open air, and a great deal of pain… And there was a strange figure… A woman, dressed in green…

By all accounts, he ought to be dead. So it didn't really make any sense that he wasn't.

But if he wasn't dead, then… Where was he?

Groaning involuntarily at the thought of exerting even minimal effort, Link finally forced his eyes to crack open, and they did so blearily and with much resistance. It was like waking up from sleep; which, he supposed, he was. The thoughts and sensations he'd been experiencing moments earlier all finally coalesced into one steady, rational stream of consciousness, and Link gave a relieved breath; the world made sense once more.

After blinking a few times to clear his surprisingly blurry eyesight, Link only had a moment to take in his strange new surroundings (dimly lit room, pale turquoise walls, hardwood floor) before his slightly-muddled gaze landed on a mane of golden-blonde hair resting on the bed beside him.

She was slumped forward; her head pillowed on her arm as she slept, her mouth gaping partially, a cute trail of drool dampening his light azure bed sheets. Her brows were knitted together as though troubled by less-than-pleasant dreams, and she mumbled something incoherently in her sleep before shifting forward, her arm brushing his left leg.

But the thing that stood out the most was the familiar battered green hoodie that engulfed her slight torso. It was his most cherished article of clothing, one he vaguely remembered loaning to her in a fit of gallantry. He thought for sure she'd have discarded in favor of something a little less frayed and worn-out the first opportunity she had, and yet… She was still wearing it.

Speechless (although he hadn't uttered a word yet anyway, and wasn't even sure that he could), Link let his stunned gaze travel over Zelda's peaceful, slumbering face, down past her curtains of golden hair, over the folds of his favorite hoodie… and then down her sleeve, which led to her hand, which led to _his_ hand, which he realized with a small jolt that she was holding.

Link stared at their joined appendages for a moment, his mind racing; or at least attempting to race, as it was still cloudy and confused, and the sight before his eyes wasn't exactly helping make things any clearer. And no matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't get his mind to move past the fact that Zelda, Zelda Harkinian, beautiful and quirky and apparently an adorable sleeper was there, at his bedside, clinging to his hand as she slept.

Almost subconsciously, he began running his thumb across the back of her hand, marveling at how smooth her skin was…

For an odd moment, he felt like he was trapped inside one of his Grandmother's atrocious soap operas. Any minute now, his dark evil twin Fernando was going to barge in, dressed as a surgeon or a Fed-ex delivery guy and attempt to murder him, only he wouldn't die because at the very last moment his long-lost father would arrive, brandishing a shotgun and prepared to save him; only he'd get confused over who was who because Fernando looked so much like him and-

Zelda mumbled softly again, her hand twitching lightly in his, and Link's mind went blank as he watched her, iron bands crushing his chest, anticipation welling up inside him, threatening to burst.

Her eyes fluttered opened wearily.

For a moment they stared at each other in silence, steely blue meeting sparkling amaranthine, and Link was sure that his heart would break free of his ribcage at any moment…

A soft smile graced her lips, illuminating her entire being for a startling moment as she gazed serenely back at him, and then, with a soft sigh, her eyelids drifted slowly closed once more, a contented smile adorning her face.

Link lay there, stunned. Feeling awkward and a little unsure about what to do with himself, he tried to fight down the sudden surge of anticlimax that her reaction to seeing him awake hadn't been at least a _little_ more exciting when suddenly, with a strangled gasp, Zelda's head shot up off her arm. Her hand clenched his in a painful vice grip as she stared at him, her eyes almost as wild as her hair, her mouth gaping soundlessly.

Finally, in a hushed, almost disbelieving voice she whispered, "_Link?_"

Link gave his best attempt at an amused smile. "Hi…" he managed to croak out, wincing at how gruff and hoarse he sounded. He cleared his throat with a grimace, trying not to groan at the sharp stab of pain from his midsection.

Zelda scooted forward on her chair looking frazzled, her free hand quickly brushing her loose hair out of her face. "I… What… You're awake! Oh, Nayru… H-How are you feeling?"

"Tired." he replied lamely, not willing to reveal how much pain he was in and worry her. She seemed to sense it anyway, however, because her eyebrows creased in concern.

There was an awkward moment as the two teens regarded each other at a complete loss for words. What are you supposed say when you wake up with the beautiful object of your affections sleeping at your bedside? The moment seemed to stretch on endlessly, Link's discomfort growing exponentially. Din blast it, he was no good at talking to girls! That was Sheik's department!

Casting his eyes about the foreign room, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"So, er… where are we?"

Zelda's eyes widened in surprise. "Where… Link, we're in the hospital."

"Oh." Link said blankly, unsure how to respond to that. Now that he was actually paying attention, it was kinda obvious that's where they were. When he'd first opened his eyes, he'd been immediately distracted by the girl he'd found resting beside him, but now as his eyes swept the room he began to take in the little details.

The first thing he noticed was a gentle beeping noise emanating from some place just over his right shoulder. His neck was painfully stiff, but he forced himself to move through the discomfort, trying hard not to groan as his joints ached in protest, his eyes searching for the source of the noise. Finally, his gaze landed on a tall machine situated in the corner, between his bed and a small side table. It was a heart monitor; the jagged green lines spiking in time with the gentle thudding of Link's heart.

Link settled back against the pathetically flat pillow he'd been gifted and continued to survey the room, conscious of Zelda's gaze as she watched him quietly.

The table by the heart monitor was littered with cards and notes and a rather overstuffed vase of colorful flowers into which had been stuck a large card bearing the inscription 'Get Well Soon!' Beside the table was a window, though the curtains were drawn, blocking most of the sunlight. A little further was a large beige cabinet with a rather serious looking lock on the front, complete with a keypad. Hanging on the wall beside the cabinet was a dirty white board upon which a series of nearly indecipherable notes had been scribbled in medical shorthand; below them were the words 'How do you feel today?', complete with ten little faces arranged in a row showing varying signs of discomfort. Ten looked to be overly exuberant for any setting, especially a hospital. One was bawling comically, a heavy frown on its face. If Link could have marked his pain on the chart, he'd put it at about a negative thirty-four.

Continuing his visual tour, Link spotted a heavy wooden door at the far end of the room, which he assumed was the restroom, then continued to the left, his eyes skating across the tacky wallpaper, pausing for a moment at the flat screen television that was hanging on the wall directly before his bead before moving to the door that he assumed led out into the hallway.

The rest of the room was hidden from view behind Zelda's body. Link allowed his gaze to meet the silent girl's again, unable to resist the magnetic pull. She had a look of tense apprehension on her face as she watched him, her eyes sparkling with worry.

"Uh… So…" Link began again, then suddenly grimaced at the taste in his mouth. Man, that was some nasty morning breath!

"Oh, geez." He groaned, making a face as the taste pervaded his senses, "How long have I been out?"

He hadn't really been expecting an answer, meaning for the question to be a lighthearted attempt at breaking through the awkwardness that had all but destroyed their previously attempted conversations. So it went without saying that her answer took him completely by surprise. "About four days."

Link felt as though the ground had dropped out from under him.

"…What did you say?" he asked weakly.

"About four days." She repeated somberly, and for the first time Link noticed how ashen she looked, and the slight tremor in her voice when she spoke. "We've been so worried… the doctors, they told us that you might… that you might not…"

Zelda tore her gaze away from his, choosing instead to stare down at the drool stain on his bed sheets, hiding behind a curtain of hair as she released a shaky breath, trying in vain to calm herself down.

The gallant thing to do at this moment would be to comfort the emotionally compromised girl in her time of need, but Link's head was too busy reeling to think straight. He'd been out for _four days?_ And the doctors were telling people that he might not wake up at all? What in the world was going on?

Link took an unsteady breath and let his eyelids slide shut, lifting his right hand to massage his eyes wearily… or at least, that's what he tried to do, only something was wrong. His arm felt unusually stiff and heavy, and despite his best efforts he couldn't get it to bend at the elbow. Cracking his eyes back open, he felt his stomach drop for the second time in five minutes- his entire right arm was completely encased in a cast.

Swallowing gruffly, he turned his attention back to the silently trembling girl beside him.

"Zelda?" He whispered hoarsely, trepidation lacing through his words. "…What happened?"

At his quiet inquiry, her head snapped back up. Her eyes, red and puffy with silent tears still etching their way down her cheeks, were wide with shock.

"Y-You don't remember?" she asked tremulously, hiccupping slightly at the end.

He shook his head numbly, though he couldn't quite fight down the small voice in his head that was telling him that he didn't want his question answered.

In answer, Zelda gently untangled her fingers from his (he tried to ignore the slight twinge of loss he felt ) and, hesitating only a moment, showed him the back of her hand.

There, etched into her delicate skin, were three golden triangles…

The memories slammed into Link like a freight train.

The school, the shooting, Shad and Ashei in the vents, Aryll in danger, saving Darunia and Ruto, fighting with Sheik, Anju dying on the floor, Ganondorf's plan, breaking out with Kafei, killing Sakon, finding Zelda in the hall, the group splitting up, the fire extinguisher, the Triforce, Mr. Smith and Colin's betrayal, Sheik turning himself in, Ganondorf's announcement, running after Zelda, the showdown in the Principal's office, the stapler, the memories, the voice, the windows, the knife, teetering over the edge…

Zelda catching him. Her tears. Her desperation. The futility.

The moment where he slipped through her fingers.

"Oh goddesses…" he whispered as all the pain and devastation and terror came rushing back to him. "I fell… I fell three stories. I had a _knife_ in me! I should have died! How am I still alive?"

Zelda shook her head frantically, tears still spilling over her cheeks. "I don't know… The doctors were amazed. They said you should have died on impact, but when the EMT's got there you were still breathing, so they loaded you up and took off before I could even leave the Principal's office."

"And… And Ganondorf?" Link rasped, hardly daring to breath. Fear clutched his insides in an icy fist. If he had survived the fall, then surely Ganon…

But Zelda slowly shook her head again. "He's dead, Link."

The panic that had begun welling up inside him vanished at her words. "He's…"

"Dead." She repeated, and there was a forced harshness in her tone that didn't fit her at all. "When you stabbed him, the knife punctured his lung. Even if he'd gotten lucky like you and survived the fall, he would've died anyway."

Silence gripped the room again aside from the steady beeping behind him. Link was stunned. He'd taken a knife to the stomach and fallen three stories and somehow survived… And Ganondorf was finally gone. It was over… It was finally over…

Without warning, Zelda lunged forward, and before Link could process what was happening she'd wrapped her arms around his neck and was sobbing into his chest.

She was saying something, but her words, muffled as they were in his hospital gown, were lost to Link. Instead, he was left to focus on the sudden warmth that was spreading through his weakened body, the smell of her hair and her incredible softness. Awkwardly wrapping his good arm around her shoulders, he traced comforting circles on her back and rested his head against hers, making soothing sounds in her ear.

"Shh… Zelda, come on, it's ok… We're ok now, it's over… It's over…"

"I-I thought you were d-dead…" she managed weakly through her sobs.

"I know…" Link murmured, feeling guilty that he'd been the cause of her pain.

"I th-thought I lost you again…"

Something seemed to reverberate in Link's heart, and he hesitated, not sure if those words were coming from the age-old Princess or the emotional teenage girl, or if there was even a difference anymore.

Removing his arm, he coerced her into lifting her head so he could meet her gaze. Her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy and brimming with tears, but her gaze was steady and imploring, and near took his breath away.

"I'm not going anywhere." He whispered, somewhat hoarsely.

And suddenly, it was déjà vu; she was leaning forward, tightening her hold around his neck, her eyes slowly drifting closed. Link's arm slid around her back as his breathing hitched, ignoring the rapidly increasing beeping from the heart monitor behind him. His last thought as he closed his eyes was of how grateful he was no psychotic, power hungry teenagers were there to interrupt them…

"…Link?"

Link and Zelda both froze. For a moment, frustration and annoyance welled up inside of him, and he readied himself to explode on whoever it was who had interrupted the moment he had faced down numerous psychotic gun-toting teenagers, battled the most evil and powerful man in history with an office tool, and survived a three-story fall for.

However, when Zelda moved back and allowed Link to see into the area of the room he hadn't yet examined, he felt all of his self-righteous anger and resentment evaporate as his gaze locked with a pair of familiar cerulean irises.

Before he could open his mouth, the smaller blonde launched herself out of the chair where she'd been sleeping, the blue jean-jacket she'd been using as a makeshift blanket falling forgotten to the floor. Zelda only just managed to scoot away from Link's bed before Aryll all but tackled him with a joyous cry.

"Link! Link, you're awake! You're ok! I don't believe it, I can't- _You're alive!_"

"Aryll…" Link whimpered, "Aryll, you're… you're hurting me… Aryll, there's a hole in my stomach and you're not helping…"

Link's little sister seemed to be oblivious to his pain, however. If anything, his feeble protests made her cling to his neck all the harder.

"Oh, goddesses, I've been so worried, the doctors kept saying all this scary stuff about how you might not wake up, and I've been so scared, and after you just ran off and left me with Colin and Sheik I didn't know what to do, and then we were outside, and there was shooting, and the glass, and then I saw you fall and- _You idiot!_"

Aryll suddenly jerked upright, her ocean blue eyes swimming with outraged tears as she viciously began pummeling every inch of Link she could reach.

"I- ow! Aryll! Aryll, stop, Aryll- I'm in the hospital! I just fell out of a building! You're going to break me all over again!"

"You'd-better-hope-that's-all-I-do-to-you-mister!" Aryll spat viciously, smacking Link soundly between each word. Over Aryll's shoulder, Zelda looked torn between being scandalized that a defenseless, hospitalized boy was in the middle of being mauled to death, and humor at Aryll's enthusiasm.

"Aryll, please! I'm sorry! Ow, Aryll, you're going to rip my stab wound open all over again!"

"Well what do you care?" She spat, standing up suddenly and glowering down at Link, looking very menacing with her hands on her hips and tears running down her face. "It doesn't seem to matter to you very much whether you live or die. Getting yourself stabbed didn't work, so you decided to throw yourself out of Sahasralah's window!"

"W-what?" Link stammered, flabbergasted at her rapid change of emotion. "No, Aryll, that's not-"

"You broke your promise…" She whispered, her aberrant mood swing cutting him off once more, only this time she didn't look scathing, or enraged, or overjoyed at his being awake; she looked broken.

"I- …what?"

"You promised me. You promised that no more Hero's were going to die, that our family wouldn't lose any more members… Remember? In the closet, when you came to find me. And I believed you… I really thought you and I were going to get out, somehow, and Grandma wouldn't have to lose anyone else… But then you went back, just like Dad did for our uncle, and I just… I just kept thinking about what happened to them in Labrynna, and I thought… I thought…"

As Link watched his baby sister fall apart, an enormous wave of guilt and self-loathing washed over him. All throughout his ordeal in Sahasralah's office with Ganondorf and Zelda, when he was battling for his life and the sake of humanity, never, not even once, had he spared a thought for his tiny family and the people his death would leave behind.

To be fair to him, if he hadn't fought Ganondorf it would have meant a veritable apocalypse and the end of civilization as they knew it, so it wasn't as though he had a choice in the matter… Still, the sight of his sister reduced to tears because of him made him feel lower than dirt.

Hesitantly, he extended his free hand and wordlessly offered it to the trembling girl. She resisted at first; biting her lower lip to hide how it was quivering, her eyes hidden behind one hand, the other wrapped protectively around her midsection. But after a moment she relented, grasping his hand gingerly and allowing him to pull her down in a tentative embrace.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered softly into her hair, and she gave a choked up sob, burying her face into his shoulder and shaking her head.

"No… I-It's ok…" She stammered back, and Link felt his heart melt ever so slightly as she once again wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed for all she was worth. It hurt, obviously, given his physical condition, but he didn't complain; it was his way of atoning for all the pain and agony he'd caused her over the last few days, and he accepted the pain willingly.

Over Aryll's head, Link could see Zelda smiling endearingly at the two of them, her eyes watery.

Feeling slightly embarrassed that his emotional family reunion was being spied on, Link hastily wrenched his eyes away from the girl, his face heating up, and patted his little sister softly on the back.

"You ok?" he asked gently, not wanting to be rude but also yearning to get her up; he loved her and all, but it was hard enough to breathe as it was without another person's body weight atop him.

She sniffled, nodding slowly and gently detangled herself from her injured brother. She gave a weak, slightly embarrassed laugh as she began moping up the tears on her face with her shirtsleeves. "Sorry about that…"

"Nah, it's cool." Link said with pseudo-sarcasm. "It's good to know there's at least one softie in our family."

" I- Oh!" Aryll started, the very picture of indignation as she readied herself to fire a scathing retort when all of a sudden a look of surprised flashed across her face. Whirling around on the spot, she suddenly shouted, "Grandma! Grandma, wake up! Link's awake!"

Link blinked in surprised disbelief. Surely not. Not noticing Aryll when he first woke up was one thing; he could blame his lack of awareness of his surroundings on his still-muddled brain and the presence of Zelda at his bedside, but Granny was here too? He surreptitiously began casting his eyes about the room once more, waiting for more random people to start popping out from behind medical equipment shouting 'surprise!'

With an exasperated sigh, Aryll stomped forward toward the corner where she'd been sleeping earlier and began gently prodding the figure Link now noticed was resting in the chair beside the one Aryll had previously vacated, a large lavender rain jacket covering most of her torso and face as she leaned up against a wall. A slight, soft buzzing could be heard emanating from beneath the confines of the jacket.

"Grandma!" Aryll hissed, poking the jacket once more. "Grandma, wake up! Link's awake! Grandma!"

There was a grunt as the figure shifted around for a moment, then finally a tired, grumpy voice muttered, "What is it, Aryll? Can't you see your grandma's trying to get her beauty rest?"

"Grandma! Link's awake! He's awake!"

There was a pause, then slowly she slid the jacket off herself and turned to face him.

They regarded each other for a moment in silence, Link struggling to comprehend the tangle of emotions on her face. Finally, he flashed her a weak grin and said, "Hey. Morning, Grandma."

To his complete and utter horror, she twisted her lips in a disapproving manner and gave a loud 'harrumph!' before climbing off her chair and scowling at him.

"Well. It's about time you woke up." She scolded, stalking over to his bedside and looming over him perilously. "If I'd known it'd take you so long to do it I'd have stayed at home! Don't know why I'm surprised though, you sleep all day normally, why should now be any different?"

Link winced, feeling abashed and mortified all at once. He could feel it coming; Granny was setting herself up for a record breaking tongue-lashing, the kind she kept reserved for when Link or Aryll had gone and done something tremendously foolish. And worst of all, it was all about to go down in front of his… whatever Zelda was.

Reprimanded like a child. Some things never change, be he an age old mythical hero reincarnate or no.

It was odd that he could face down the greatest evil the world had ever known with unrelenting courage, but all his confidence wilted in the face of his grandmother's scowl. He supposed that no matter who you were, some part of you would always be wary of the woman who raised you.

All was quiet for a moment as she stared down at him, her face a mask of cool reprobation before suddenly, without warning, she gave him a full, toothy grin.

"It's good to see you're ok." She said with surprising gentleness before bending over and enveloping him in a tender embrace. And just like that, the tension in the air was seemingly swept away by Link's relieved sigh.

"Aw, isn't this sweet?" Came a surprise, cocky voice from the direction of the doorway. Link jerked his head quickly to the side (and regretted it instantly as pain shot up and down his spine) and found himself looking at his smugly grinning best friend leaning casually against the doorframe, his scarlet irises flashing with barely withheld amusement.

Grandma straightened up and fixed Sheik with a heavy, irritated frown, but before Link could utter a response Sheik suddenly pitched forward as he was unceremoniously shoved into the room by the short, petite girl standing behind him.

"What kind of moron just stands in the doorway? You're such a dork." Midna muttered dryly as Sheik landed comically on his face with pained 'oof!' Giving the room a brief once-over, her gaze landed on Link and instantly her countenance changed from her usual bored indifference to suddenly ecstatic.

"Link!" she practically squealed with bubbly excitement, darting over to the opposite side of the bed from Grandma (from the sudden yelp of pain, she clearly stepped on Sheik in the process) and all but flung herself on top of him.

Link once again found himself letting out a girly squawk of pain similar to Sheik's.

"Oh goddesses, you're ok! We all thought you were dead for sure after you fell out of that window! I was all ready to beat the crap out of Ganondorf 'til I remembered he'd taken the dive just before you!"

"Ack! M-Midna, please, it- Ow! You're hurting m-AH! -me! Please, get off, you're gonna break my bones all over again! EGH! _Woman! There is a hole in my stomach and you're making it worse!_"

Like an act of divine providence, Sheik suddenly rose from the ground at Link's bedside. Leaning over, he wrapped his arms around Midna's waist and literally lifted her off of Link's twitching, writhing body and gently tugged until she released her death-grip on Link's throat.

"Whoa now. Easy, Mid, or you're gonna squish him."

"Fun killer…" She muttered darkly, but thankfully stayed where she was when he set her back on her feet.

Sheik, blessedly, merely offered a simple fist to Link rather than full-body tackling him, which Link returned with nearly tearful gratitude.

"So. How're you feeling?"

"Well, if the women in this hospital would get it through their heads that I'm a severely wounded human being and not a bounce house, then I might be able to say that I'm feeling better." Link muttered, with only slight sarcasm.

Zelda and Aryll at least had the grace to look somewhat abashed. Midna, however, merely shrugged indifferently and said, "Well, if you weren't such an easy target, maybe people wouldn't pick on you so much. Besides, don't most guys like getting lots of female attention?"

"It depends on the female." Link and Sheik replied simultaneously, then laughed.

It was then, in that moment, surrounded by his friends and family, that the reality of the situation came crashing down on him. He was alive. He was actually alive. They all were. And it was over… finally, blessedly over… the nightmare had come to an end.

All the frantic thoughts and fearful doubts that had plagued him during his eternity in the assault on Ordon High came rushing back to him as though the emotional cork he'd subconsciously installed to keep the horrors at bay had been unplugged, and he remembered wondering, as he was sure every other person in that building had at one point or another, if he was ever going to make it out there alive… And yet, here he was. Beaten, bruised, broken, and bleeding, but his heart was still beating, and in that moment, surrounded by loved ones, he found it was all that really mattered.

He watched as the still, sickly hospital silence that had pervaded the room since his awakening was quickly forced out in favor of a warm, convivial babble of voices as his friends began interacting with one another. Midna released her hold on Sheik's hand to scuttle quickly around Link's bed, throwing her arms around Zelda in her traditional exuberant greeting, to which the taller blonde eagerly responded with a cheery laugh. Aryll made a snide, teasing comment about Sheik's newfound love, causing him to grunt and start jabbing at her sides where he knew she was most ticklish as she squealed in mock outrage, as comfortable around Link's long time friend as if he was Aryll's second brother.

Grandma Hero sat back with a contented smile and met Link's wandering gaze with a small wink, causing him to grin broadly in return. He could tell she understood what he was feeling. How good it felt to be around jokes and smiles and laughter again, knowing that he and his friends were finally ok and not having to wonder if they'd live to see tomorrow.

Before long they'd arranged themselves in a rough semi-circle around Link's bed, talking and laughing and generally reveling in their hard-won peace. His hospital room only contained three chairs, however, so their seating arrangements were a little odd: Zelda sat in the chair nearest Link on his left, exactly where he found her when he first awoke. Her eyes were still a little baggy, but she was grinning for all she was worth and her amaranthine irises seemed to have regained the sparkle that had drawn him to her in the first place. Grandma Hero was on her left at the foot of Link's bed, beaming at them all and yawning occasionally. Aryll was perched on the bed beside Link's feet, her hands folded on her knees and legs dangling off the edge. The bed wasn't particularly large; but then, neither was Aryll, so her position didn't cause Link too much discomfort. Sheik occupied the last chair which he'd dragged to Link's right where there was a bit more space (aside from the side table holding the flowers, which he moved against the wall), his position just opposite Zelda. Midna lounged languidly in his lap.

It was Aryll who asked the question that brought Link's attention back to the here and now.

"So, Sheik… Why are you here? It's just… I thought you had… I mean, I thought you were…" She trailed off awkwardly looking flustered, her cheeks slightly pink.

"Arrested?" he offered casually and she flinched, looking wary and very much as though she regretted mentioning it in the first place.

"You mean you guys didn't hear?" Midna asked incredulously.

Aryll, Grandma, and Zelda all exchanged puzzled looks.

"Well in my defense, I've sorta been unconscious for the last couple days, so…" Link offered jokingly from his spot on the bed.

"Shut up, Link." Aryll said, waving off his flippant comment impatiently. "What didn't we hear?"

Midna and Sheik paused for a moment to exchange looks. Sheik was smirking devilishly, looking for all the world like a smug little boy who knew a really juicy secret. Midna was basically bursting at the seems with barely suppressed giddiness as she eagerly nudged her makeshift chair with her shoulder, urging him to tell them.

"Well," Sheik said slowly, milking the moment for all it was worth, "as you apparently don't know, the trial was this morning-"

"Already?" Grandma exclaimed, looking shocked. "These things are usually tied up in court for months! How did they get it set so early?"

Sheik shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't really know. I guess since this thing has gained national attention, people wanted to see justice dealt as soon as humanly possible. I suppose it helps that the mayor's son is one of the students who was injured in the shooting, but even so-"

"Will you get on with it already?" Midna blurted out impatiently, scowling up at him.

"Right." Sheik said, looking slightly disgruntled at being repeatedly interrupted and then getting told to hurry. "Well, to make a long story short, the trial was-"

"He got off!" Midna practically squealed, cutting her boyfriend off once again and cutting to the chase.

"What?"

"_What?_"

"You're kidding! That's great!"

"No," Sheik said loudly, holding up his arms to stave off the flurry of questions and stunned acclamations from Link and the rest. He sent Midna a dark look to which she merely responded with flirtatious grin. "I didn't get off, Midna's not telling the whole story. The jury decided that, in light of my actions during the 'crisis', and my heroic efforts to 'right my wrongs at great personal peril'…" at this, Midna pinched his cheek and cooed teasingly, forcing Sheik to dig his fingers into her side, making her screech. "…they agreed, as per the judge's suggestion, that my sentence be reduced. Instead of going to jail like the rest of Ganondorf's flunkies, I'm receiving two-hundred-and-fifty hours of community service."

There was a stunned pause in which the four other occupants of the room stared at the couple in shock. Midna looked utterly triumphant and proud as a peacock, but Sheik merely smiled back at them humbly, looking as though he was still as stunned at the verdict as they were.

Finally, Link burst out laughing, only to regress to regretful moans a moment later as razor sharp stabs of pain lanced up and down his midsection.

"Link, are you ok?" Zelda asked worriedly, leaning over and shooting him a concerned look, biting her lip which he noticed had become her habit when she was anxious.

Link did his best to muster up a reassuring grin, feeble as it was. "Yeah… I'm fine… Just don't make me laugh, I might just keel over."

It wasn't his finest joke, admittedly, but it seemed to have done the trick. Zelda shook her head and rolled her eyes as if to say 'why am I still sitting at this idiot's bedside?', but she was smiling while she did it. It was a big improvement over scared, worried Zelda; he'd been the unintentional cause of her discomfort long enough. He was going to see to it that she didn't have to worry about him ever again, if it was the last thing he did… which, at the rate he's been going lately, it just might be.

"Oh come on." Sheik said flatly, cutting through his thoughts. "You survived a stab wound straight in the gut and a three story fall onto concrete. I don't think a little chuckle's gonna do you in."

"No, but all that community service might just be the end of you." Link shot right back, grinning at his best friend. "Sheik, you've never worked a day in your life. You might end up wishing they'd locked you away after all."

"Well…" Sheik said, stroking his chin in a mock-thoughtful pose, making some of the group laugh (though not Link; he'd already learned his lesson. Laughter was painful.).

"Nah, he'll be fine." Midna said, patting Sheik on the knee good naturedly. "He'll have me as company."

"What?" Sheik said, a surprised looked on his face as he cocked his head to stare up at his girlfriend. "No, Midna, you don't have to-"

"Well it's not like we're going to get to spend any time together anyway." She said, shrugging. "I might as well take what I can get. Besides, this way I can keep an eye on you and make sure you do your service so the judge doesn't change his mind and take you away from me."

Sheik remained silent for a moment before smiling at the smaller girl softly and gently wrapping his arms around her waist. Aryll and Zelda let out loud 'awe's at their expense, but the simple affectionate gesture left everyone in the room smiling.

"Why do I get the feeling Midna wouldn't be offering to join me if I got assigned community service?" Link asked thoughtfully, scratching his chin.

"Never mind that," Aryll said exasperatedly, cutting off her brother's musings once again. "Tell us about the trial! How come they knew you were really a good guy? Did some of the students you helped save come testify on your behalf?"

"Not the students, no." Sheik said, shaking his head. "Though a lot of the faculty showed up to offer me support."

Link was surprised. "Really? Like who? I would have thought that since you were technically one of the co-conspirators they would have all turned against you."

"So did I. And actually, a lot of people in the community weren't happy with the verdict when they found that out."

At the mention of the less-than-positive view of Sheik's lighter sentencing, Midna scowled darkly and began muttering several choice threats under her breath about things she'd like to do to certain people in the community. Link grinned at her, flashing back to when they used to mutter like that about Professor Ezlo after one of his senile fits of rage before returning his attention to Sheik.

"You don't think they're going to give you any problems, do you?" Zelda asked, looking anxious, but Sheik shook his head.

"No, I don't think so. Not after what happened."

"Well what did happen?" Grandma grumped, finally deciding to chime in and sounding distinctly irritated that Sheik hadn't gotten around to explaining it yet.

"Well," Sheik said, casting Grandma a slightly fearful glance; his friends knew his Grandmother's temper only too well. "First, Mr. Oshus came in, bringing Coach Nabooru and her assistant Jolene. They were there in the gym when Midna and I dealt with Zant, so they were able to testify about my part in rescuing the students in the gym." It was barely perceptible, but Link still heard him stumble over saying Zant's name.

"Then, Mr. Auru of all people showed up." That caught Link off-guard; Mr. Auru was easily the most popular teacher in the school, but Link and Sheik had taken his class last year, and he hadn't seen him at all during the attack. He'd assumed he'd managed to escape before Ganondorf's flunkies had taken control of the school. If so, what could he possibly be able to say that would help Sheik? And why would he want to?

"Why was Mr. Auru there?" Aryll asked, clearly thinking along the same lines as Link.

"Mostly to show support to the other teachers." Sheik replied, "He was one of the lucky ones who got out with his entire class before Ganondorf could trap us all inside, so he didn't have to witness anything. Although he did give the jury a detailed report of what we all did for the last trapped students during the police raid, since apparently Zelda's ingenious plan was hatched in his classroom and that somehow got back to him." He looked at Zelda for confirmation on this when he mentioned her name and she nodded, smiling.

"Huh." Link said, drinking in the new information. So Auru hadn't been inside, but he came to Sheik's aid anyway… Sheik, a student he hadn't taught in over a year. Link's appreciation for his favorite teacher suddenly grew exponentially. "Who else was there?"

"Linebeck." Midna chimed in, sounding rueful.

"The janitor?" Link exclaimed, stunned.

"Yup. He was there in the gym, too. He didn't really say much, but he defied all expectations by showing up in the first place, so that's more than we could have hoped anyway."

"The Jury had seemed surprised by the teacher's testimony," Sheik said, continuing his story, "but it wasn't until Rusl showed up that they started wavering on their decision to send me off to jail with the others."

"Rusl?" Aryll asked, surprised. "You mean Colin's dad?"

"Yeah. He came marching into the court looking all impressive and cop-like, and when they called him up to testify he gave this whole speech about how I had his full support, and how impressed with us he was because of everything we did at the end there, and how I apparently showed more guts and bravery in the face of danger then half of his men…"

Sheik trailed off, looking slightly embarrassed. Midna, as though sensing his discomfort, took up the story telling from there.

"The jury was all impressed, obviously." She stated, matter-of-factly, as if the concept of not being impressed by Sheik was a logical impossibility. "But you could tell it was still up in the air, half of them sympathetic toward Sheik, the other half listening to the outcry of the nation who wanted justice for all the kids who lost their lives… But then the Chief brought in his Coup de Grace."

"His what?" Link asked, looking baffled.

"Mayor Dotour." Sheik said softly, and there was a collective gasp throughout the room.

"The _mayor?_" Aryll breathed. "What in the world was he doing there?"

"Remember, Link? Zelda?" Sheik asked, glancing up at the two blondes.

"Uh…" Link mumbled blankly.

"Remember what?" Zelda replied, much more eloquent in her perplexity than Link.

"When we met up in the hallway. Right after Aryll had been taken away… after Anju had gotten shot."

As he said it, the memory seemed to envelope Link's mind, bringing back his and Sheik's fight, the sound of gunfire, racing through the hallway, giving Zelda his jacket, and most importantly, Anju's unconscious body lying unmoving on the grungy tile floor in an ever-widening pool of her own blood…

"Well, Rusl apparently informed the mayor that I was part of the group responsible for saving his son's girlfriend." Sheik murmured softly.

"Or, as he put it, his future daughter-in-law." Midna cut in, smirking slightly.

"He told the court that he owed me a personal debt of gratitude, and explained that his son Kafei had been working alongside us and had received a wound to his leg and was currently in the hospital with Anju and hadn't left her bedside once…"

"Well…" Link said slowly after Sheik trailed off and remained silent for a few seconds, "That's a touching story and all, but what did Kafei have to do with your sentencing?"

"Pretty much nothing.' Sheik admitted with a small laugh. "But he got the whole room all teary-eyed and emotional, and played me out to be some big hero who helped save his son's love from the icy clutches of death or some such. He basically turned all the negative opinions about me around single-handedly. I don't know if I would have gotten out of jail time if it wasn't for him."

Link gave a hollow whistle. To think, despite all the support Sheik had received from actual witnesses, it took the words of a single well-known man to change his sentencing…

The silence that had once again claimed the room at the end of Sheik's tale was suddenly rudely interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Don't mind me," came a official, business-like feminine voice from the doorway, and in walked a middle-aged women dressed in navy blue scrubs. "I'm just stopping by for a minute to check Mr. Hero's-"

The nurse stopped dead when she saw Link staring at her blankly.

"But… you're awake." She said after a moment, sounding mystified.

"Um… Yes. Yes I am." Link replied, equally as confused as the nurse.

She continued to stand blankly in the doorway for a moment, slowly glancing between him and the clipboard she carried in her hand. Then, after shaking herself slightly, she put on a bright, false smile and said, as though to cover up the sheer awkwardness of the moment, "Well, forgive me, Mr. Hero for not coming to check on you sooner. As I'm sure you're aware we've been very busy the last few days since the … the incident and… well, to be honest, I was under the impression you were in a coma."

_That_ certainly brought Link up short. A coma? When was he ever in a…

Zelda's words came flashing back through his mind.

"_We've been so worried… the doctors, they told us that you might… that you might not…"_

"He was, ma'am." Zelda's answer to the nurse caught Link off guard, and he turned to look at her. "He only just woke up."

The nurse's eyebrows, which had been climbing at an alarming rate when she'd realized Link was up and coherent, suddenly shot down with disapproval.

"I see…" she drawled softly, a sudden dangerous tone to her voice "a boy, our patient, wakes up after a few days from a coma and you don't think it's a good idea to inform the hospital staff?"

Zelda clamped her mouth shut, looking uncertain in the face of the nurse's reprimand. Aryll merely gaped soundlessly while Sheik and Midna appeared determined to keep quiet and look everywhere _except_ at the nurse.

Grandma Hero, however, scowled right back at the woman with gusto.

"I nearly lost my grandson." She stated bluntly. "Forgive me if my first instinct once he regained consciousness wasn't to hand him off to a bunch of strangers."

The nurse took a deep, steadying breath. "Be that as it may," she replied, struggling to keep her voice calm and professional, "this is a hospital, and his health is our number one priority. All personal opinions have to take a back seat. Now, Link?" she said, turning her attention to him as she surreptitiously checked her clipboard for his first name. "I'm going to go fetch the doctor now, but it may take a few minutes; the hospital's nearly bursting at the seams with your injured classmates and teachers and he's very busy. However, when the doctor does arrive everyone else in the room needs to leave, and he'll likely want to run a few tests on you. Is that understood?" She finished her speech with a sweeping glance, including everyone in her query.

The room murmured their assent, begrudgingly in Grandma's case, and with a prim nod the nurse turned briskly to leave.

She paused briefly at the door, however, and turned to face Link once more.

"I'm sorry if I came across as abrasive." She said, and to his surprise she really did sound it. "I'm very glad to see you're up and awake. The goddesses must be smiling on you, young man; you seem to be healing at an extraordinary rate."

And with that, she was gone.

Link felt a sudden surge of dread in his gut as a previously overlooked thought struck him; of course he was healing at an extraordinary rate… he was the bearer of the Triforce of Courage! And now every medical professional that had seen him had seen the marking on the back of his hand! How many of them recognized it for what it was?

And what about Grandma? He glanced at her surreptitiously, but she kept her gaze fixated on the door where the nurse had vanished, looking weary. Had she noticed it yet? Would she even know what it meant? It was more than likely that she had seen it, but just incase… he nonchalantly turned his left hand over so that his palm faced upward, obscuring his marking from view.

To his surprise, as soon as he made the movement he felt a soft, familiar hand reach out and catch his, gently entwining their fingers. He turned his head and met Zelda's gaze, searching her eyes questioningly. In response, she offered him a small smile; so, she'd understood the truth behind the nurse's comment as well… but did she know if his secret had been discovered? He would have to talk to her eventually… later, when they had more privacy…

Because privacy was something he was just bursting with here at the hospital…

Sheik gave a loud yawn that cracked his jaw, letting go of Midna to stretch his arms over his head.

"Well… You heard the boss lady. Looks like it's time for us to go."

Link gave a resigned sigh, not wanting his friends to leave. He hated being cooped up inside, and the prospect of having to endure it alone, especially in a hospital, seemed far less than inviting. Still, as he took in the gaunt, sleep-deprived faces of his family and Zelda, he knew they needed to go home and rest.

"Link," his grandma asked gently, as though reading his thoughts, "if you want, Aryll and I can just go grab a quick bite at the hospital cafeteria then come back once you're done with your tests."

He could see Aryll blanch at the prospect of more hospital food in the corner of his eye and he smiled.

"Thanks Grandma, but no. You and Aryll need to go home and get some sleep. I mean look at you, you're exhausted."

She tried to protest weakly, but Link wouldn't hear any of it. "No excuses, Grandma. Go home, really. Eat something that isn't served to sick people and I'll see you tomorrow, ok?"

After a moment, she finally relented and, bending over, place a quick kiss on his temple.

"Get some rest." She told him, before standing off to the side to gather up her jacket and purse from where she'd left them in the corner.

"That goes for you, too." Link told Zelda, and she smiled at him.

"What? Since when were you allowed to tell me what to do?" She asked cheekily, and he chuckled.

"Since I became your personal bodyguard, that's when." He gently squeezed her hand and almost imagined he could feel his Triforce symbol glow.

"Mmm." She hummed lightly, giving his shoulder a playful poke with her free hand. "Some bodyguard you are, laying around in a bed all day."

Their budding conversation was quickly interrupted by a loud cough coming from Link's right.

"Sorry to interrupt, guys." Sheik said flatly, "but we're gonna head out now."

"Don't want your nurse to blow a gasket." Midna chimed in, flashing Link a warm smile. Her eyes darted to his and Zelda's linked hands then back in a flash. "Besides, I told my mom we'd be back for dinner by six. We didn't think you'd be up so we didn't plan on staying for long."

"Nah, that's fine." Link replied, his brows furrowed. "Only… Sheik, where are you staying now? With Midna?"

"Um…" He scratched the back of his head lightly, looking embarrassed. "Well, sorta. Her dad agreed I could stay there for the night, but that's it. He doesn't want me sleeping in the same house as his daughter. Something about being a bad influence or something… So I guess after that I'm technically homeless."

"Nonsense." Grandma interrupted from the corner, fixing Sheik with a stern look. "There's more than enough room at our house. You can stay there till you're done with High School. I'm sure Link and Aryll will be more than happy with that."

Sheik's jaw nearly hit the floor.

"I… B-but Mrs. Hero, are you-"

"Of course I'm sure." She replied, cutting him off brusquely. "The house will be too quiet while Link's here recovering for my tastes. And besides, you spend enough time there anyway, you might as well make the change permanent. You can sleep on the pull out bed in the den if you like, or share Link's room. Whichever you prefer."

Zelda seemed genuinely surprised by Grandma Hero's offer, but Link wasn't. That was just the kind of woman she was. If anything, he was surprised that Sheik hadn't seen it coming. His best friend was positively speechless, and if he wasn't mistaken there were tears of gratitude welling up in his eyes.

Midna was positively beaming, not nearly as reserved with her emotions as Sheik was, and she practically leapt forward, enveloping Link's grandmother in a bone-crushing hug.

"Thank you so much, Granny Hero!"

"Goodness." Grandma Hero muttered, lightly patting Midna on the back and grinning awkwardly. "What has gotten into you kids today? I don't think I've ever seen you so touchy-feely."

Midna had barely stepped back before Sheik was there, grabbing Grandma Hero and practically lifting her up in the air, and she let out a bark of laughter at his enthusiasm.

"Yes, well," she said breathlessly as he set her back down on the floor. "You can bring your stuff over tomorrow and we'll get everything set up."

"Oh great." Aryll said, speaking up finally, her voice flat and unemotional. "Now there are two teenage boys in the house. Whoopee…"

Everyone laughed, and her fake despondency cracked with the sound. Giggling, she moved to talk to Sheik and the rest at the foot of Link's bed. Link, however, was distracted by the sudden loss of warmth as Zelda gently removed her hand from his.

Turning to shoot her a quizzical look, he was surprised to see her cell phone pressed up against her ear.

When she noticed him watching she flashed him a brief smile, mouthing 'I'm calling my ride' before turning away to face the wall.

He was distracted from wondering who she was calling by Sheik, who once again strode over and offered his fist to him.

"Well, we're heading out, man." he said, sighing slightly.

"You don't seem to happy about that." Link observed casually, and Sheik gave him a sheepish look.

"Well… let's just say Midna's parents aren't as warm and welcoming as they used to be…"

Link couldn't resist the laugh, even if it hurt his chest to do so. "Not to keen on you now that you're the boyfriend, eh?"

Even if they hadn't officially come out and told him yet, he knew it was true. His best friends were dating… he had become the dreaded third-wheel. Odd, the thought really didn't concern him as much as he thought it would. Sheik shrugged. "Well, there's that… plus I'm a felon now, so…"

"Oh, stop whining." Midna said, dodging around Sheik to give Link one last hug. "My mom still likes you. It's just my dad who has to bring the shotgun out whenever you come around now. I think he thinks you're constantly packing heat."

"Come on now, kids. That fussy nurse and her doctor are going to be back any second now." Grandma said, ushering Sheik and Midna out of the way. He nodded to them as they waved and started towards the door.

"Now Link, remember, we'll be back tomorrow morning, but don't hesitate to call if you need anything, alright?"

"I think I'll be fine, Grandma." Link chuckled, returning her hug when she offered it. "I'll probably just go back to sleep once they're done with their tests anyway."

"Just make sure you don't sleep for half a week again, ok?" Aryll called from near the door where she was standing with Sheik and Midna.

"Yeah, I'll think about it." He teased, and she smiled.

"We'll see you later, ok?" Midna said, and Link nodded.

"Bye, Link!"

"Later man!"

"Oh, Zelda dear, aren't you coming?" Grandma asked quizzically, pausing in the act of closing the door when she noticed the blonde girl was still standing in the corner. "They weren't kidding when they said they needed us out of here, and I know you're just as exhausted as Aryll and I; we've been here for four days, after all. You need your sleep."

Hearing that Zelda had been waiting at his bedside for the entire time that he'd been there made Link's stomach flop unexpectedly, but he shook it off. Zelda, who had just snapped her phone shut when Grandma started speaking to her, smiled at the older woman endearingly and said, "I am, don't worry. I just have to wait for my sister to get here and pick me up, so…"

"You sure? I can always give you a ride…"

"No, really, Mrs. Hero, it's not a problem. Tetra's already in the area anyway, she said she was a minute or two out and she'd text me when she got in the parking lot."

"Well, if you're sure then…" She sent a dubious look between the two of them before striding over and casting her arm around Zelda's shoulders amiably, drawing the taller blonde in. "Link, I really like this girl. Why haven't you brought her around before?"

"I, uh…" Link spluttered, feeling flustered.

"I just moved here, actually." Zelda said, flushing prettily under Grandma's scrutiny. "Link and I had only just met the day before the shooting."

The old woman was quiet for a moment as she observed the two teens, and Link could have sworn that she shot a quick glance at his left hand. Then, with a mischievous glint in her eye and a wide, toothy grin she said, "Well, it must have been quite a first impression for him to throw himself out a three-story window for you. I expect you knocked him right off his feet."

Link and Zelda both blushed scarlet as the memory of her whacking him with a door flashed through their minds, and Grandma Hero quickly exited the room, cackling madly.

_Curse you, Aryll._ Link thought savagely. _What have you told her…?_

"Sorry about that…" Link muttered morbidly as the door snapped shut behind his grandma.

"No, it's fine…" She replied, just as softly.

And just like that, the room was silent once more.

Link fidgeted with his hand nervously, wondering what exactly he was supposed to say in this situation. Here he was, alone, finally, with the Zelda, and he had no clue how he was supposed to conduct himself. He'd already poured his heart out to her, attempted and subsequently failed to kiss her twice. He'd even risked his life to save her. And still, when it came down to it, he was hopeless.

Seconds crept by and still, nothing. Zelda was nervously biting her lip, absently playing with the phone in her hands while she waited for her sister's text.

What happened to that easy banter he had with her earlier? Was it that he could only talk to her when there were other people around? But no… he'd been doing just fine when he'd first woken up… He was probably just feeling awkward because of his grandmother's parting comment… Yeah, that made sense. Blame his insecurities on Grandma. Excellent scapegoat technique, Link. Real befitting of the wielder of the Triforce of Courage.

Just when he had about gathered up the willpower to ask her whether anyone had remarked about the symbol on the backs of their hands, her phone gave a loud, threatening buzz.

"Well… that's her…" Zelda said slowly, and Link was sure he could hear the resignation and disappointment in her voice.

Clearing his throat roughly, he tried his best to think of something clever and confident to say.

"Oh, um… Ok."

Smooth, Link. Real smooth. Hero of Time my butt.

"So, I, ah… I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked rather than said as she stood from her seat and took a few hesitant steps toward the door.

"Oh! Uh sure, yeah, that'd be great. I mean, if you want to. You don't have to feel obligated or anything, I mean, it's not like you owe me anything or…"

He trailed off quickly, feeling stupid. _Ugh, I thought I was passed this! Pull it together, Link! Stop acting like a complete idiot around Zelda! You need to keep your thoughts straight. Focus on something: Her eyes. Whoa, no, not her eyes, too distracting. Her hair? Nuh uh. Her lips- NO! No, not her lips! Definitely not her lips!_

Thankfully, Zelda couldn't hear his terribly awkward internal diatribe, and instead chose to smile and laugh at his previous comment.

"What, you mean I shouldn't feel obligated to spend time with my self-appointed bodyguard? Well, if you say so then I guess I have no choice…"

He found himself suddenly grinning at her quirkiness, relieved at how easily she managed to turn the tide of their conversation from awkward to nonsensical banter and a bit of his nervousness seemed to melt away. "Nuh uh. We can't have you going off on your own anymore, Princess. Not until I'm back up and running. We don't want you getting yourself in 'damsel in distress' situations if I can't play the knight in shining armor."

"Well, I could always get a new knight…" she mused teasingly and Link offered up a longsuffering sigh.

"Perhaps, but he wouldn't be near as dashing and gallant as me."

"True, true. I suppose I'll just have to wait for you to heal then." She stated despondently, then grinned.

There was a moment, a long, lingering moment in which the two Triforce bearers locked gazes and stared at one another…

And then the moment passed. Zelda gave her bottom lip a nervous bite, then whispered softly, "I'll see you tomorrow, Link."

"You too, Zelda." He replied, feeling thoroughly empty as he watched the object of his affection walk away from him once again.

He sighed inwardly, cursing his luck. If only he wasn't restrained to a bed… he'd go after her, chase her through the hospital if he had to, anything at all so long as it meant stopping her from leaving. The first two times had failed, but you know what they say; third times the charm, or something like that. Whatever. He'd have found a way to make it work, regardless. Now if only he could-

"Wait."

Link blinked, drawn out of his muddled, wishful reverie by Zelda's voice. She was standing still right in front of the door, her hand outstretched and resting lightly on the doorknob. The soft breeze from the air conditioning vent situated above her stirred through her hair absently, making it shimmer and flow.

"Zelda?" He asked, confused.

"Wait." She repeated, this time with a note of desperation in her voice.

Before Link could ask her what was wrong she spun around and marched back toward him, her stride purposeful, her jaw set and her eyes blazing with determination.

Link didn't have anything to prepare him for what happened next. One moment she was at the door, and the next she was bearing down on him, one hand on his shoulder, the other sliding behind his neck, fingers tangling in his messy hair. His heart skipped a beat as he felt her warm breath on his cheek, felt her nose brush his and the silky tendrils of her hair curtain down around his face, her eyes drifting slowly closed…

And then she was kissing him, finally, gloriously. Her lips were warm and soft and so full of pent up emotion and desire that his mind was instantly wiped blank in the deluge, and he willingly allowed himself to get lost in their moment; the feel of her skin, the smell of her hair, her taste. He wrapped his good arm around her back and drew her closer, ignorant of the pain that flared all over his body. It was worth it, anything was worth it for this one moment…

When she pulled away, seconds or minutes or hours later, they both were breathing unsteadily. Resting her forehead against his she gently brought her left hand up off his shoulder to run through his hair. Her eyes slid slowly open once again until she was gazing into his eyes, this time from centimeters away, irises sparkling with emotions that he couldn't even begin to define, ones that both thrilled and terrified him, and he suddenly came to a realization.

It didn't matter if they were Link and Zelda or the Hero and the Princess as long as they were together, united, the both of them. He felt the truth of it echoing through the fragmented memories of his past lives as surely as it resonated in the here and now. He needed her in his life. That's all there was to it.

Zelda swallowed, then whispered unsteadily, "Thank you…"

"…for what?" Link asked, perplexed.

"For saving me. For never giving up. For just being you."

She leaned down once more and placed one last, lingering kiss on his lips before she was up, straightening her hair and walking to the door.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Hero."

"I'll be waiting, Princess."

And just like that, with a wave and a grin, she was gone.

Link sighed contentedly, leaning back into his pillows. Everything was going to be ok…

…Until his nurse came barging back into the room a moment later looking frantic, demanding to know why his heart rate had just spiked unexpectedly. He... didn't really have an answer for that.

* * *

_Ok, so, like I said: This is only the first half of the epilogue. The second half is almost entirely written; there's just one scene left and that's it. The problem is, part two is already longer than this (though not by much) which I why I divided it in two sections. See? I do love my readers..._

_Expect part two in a few days. Maybe... Wednesday? That sounds like a safe bet. I'll finish the epilogue tomorrow and have two days to look it over, correcting things and eh wot, though I may post it earlier if I think it's good enough. I don't like being rushed in my writing, cause I get sloppy and things come out crappy. I still feel like the second half of this part needs some work, but... eh, I'll let you be the judge. _

_I'll save my author note reviews that I promised you guys for the actual end, so look for them in part two. Any of you recognize things that you asked for? I really did try to incorporate all of your requests, though not all of them are in this part. I'll list a few who's requests were incorporated in some way, but if your request was something like 'don't let Link die', I won't list you individually because... well pretty much everyone asked for that, haha. But **Kamil the Awesome** (who, by the way, gave me perhaps the most influential suggestion; and idea I liked so much I rewrote the ending to the next part, all credit for which goes to you. Be on the look out!),** hkdfan, Neha, Leina16 and My Dearest Sally Sparrow** (together, since your request was the same)_**_, and ShadowMario3_**_ ought to recognize at least some sections of this chapter being direct responses to their requests. Some of them I was already going to do anyway, but I tossed your names out anyway.__ If you gave me a more unique request and didn't see your name, pay attention to part two of the epilogue!_

_Right... so... One more chapter... I know, I know, groan with me: this story's like the creature from the black lagoon. Or those accursed Land Before Time movies; it just won't end! Anyway, drop me a review and let me know how you felt about these scenes, and I'll see you on three days: I promise. _

_Keep it Zesty til then._

ZC


	19. Epilogue: Part 2

_Good Gravy. This isn't Wednesday… nor is it even the same week. What a horrible person I am! Really, though… I just didn't have as much time to write as I thought I would. Life sucks like that sometimes. _

_On a more fun note: My neighborhood is on fire! Er, well, there's a brush fire in my neighborhood. My house isn't in danger or anything, and they have it contained… but it's still cool! There's all this smoke everywhere… it's like I'm back home in New Mexico… _

_Anyway. Here you go: The last update for Hit List. For real, this time. Really. _

* * *

The rest of Link's week was plagued with random visitors.

The day after Link's return to consciousness, he was awoken from his mid-afternoon slumber by a sharp rap on the door.

Grumbling darkly about his lack of privacy, Link called out for whoever was so rudely knocking to enter.

With a creak, the door swung open, and Link found himself staring at a grinning, wheelchair bound Kafei Dotour, his long purple hair as luxurious as ever, a garish lime-green cast encasing one of his legs and carrying of all things a pineapple in his hand, complete with a large red bow.

Before Link could ask why he was toting random tropical fruits through the hospital, his purple-headed friend called out leisurely, "Are you a fan of delicious flavor?" and lobbed the spiky golden snack at Link's head.

Link barely managed to bring his free hand up and catch the fruit before it collided with his face, a wave of pain rolling through his body at the sudden jerky movement. He hissed as the rough exterior stabbed into his palm, and he shot the beaming boy a dirty look.

"What the heck was that for?"

"What?" he asked, sounded genuinely confused.

"I'm pretty sure it's against hospital regulations to go chucking fruit at its patients." Link deadpanned, still glaring for all he was worth.

Kafei waved Link's remark off airily, wheeling himself into the room with one hand, the door swinging shut behind him as he slowly creaked into the room, pausing just beside the chair Zelda had been occupying earlier and propping his good leg up on Link's bed.

"Well, I wasn't aware it was a crime to spread delicious joy." He replied lightly, smirking at Link's indignity.

"It is when the joy has lethal spikes on the outside. Where'd you get a pineapple from anyway?"

"The Hospital's gift shop, if you'll believe that. I bought it for Anju originally, since she thinks pineapples are quirky, but as she's not really awake yet…"

Link suddenly felt sick. "She's… she's not awake yet? Is she ok?"

Kafei nodded, but carefully avoided making eye contact. "Yeah, she's ok… She just got out of surgery yesterday; I guess getting shot in the gut really messes up your intestines. The doctors say she's gonna pull through, but it'll be weeks before she can leave the hospital, and it might be months before she can get back to her life. That's part of why I brought you the pineapple; when I heard you were awake, I couldn't believe it. I guess I thought you'd be in surgery as long as she was, since you had similar wounds. You must have some crazy supernatural healing powers or something."

Link's only response was a weak grin. What was he supposed to say to that? That as the chosen wielder of the Triforce of Courage, he really was gifted with supernatural healing properties by the goddesses which was why he was already awake and responsive while his poor girlfriend had to suffer through weeks of bed rest and physical therapy?

Kafei seemed to notice his discomfort, however, and rolled his eyes. "Don't be like that, Link. It's not like I hate you for healing faster. I'm glad you're ok, really. So don't get all noble on me and start feeling guilty. I'm sure Anju would be relieved to hear you're already up and awake too."

If anything, Kafei's little speech made him feel even more uncomfortable, though for an entirely different reason. Casting his eyes about for a way to change the subject and hide his embarrassment, he finally settled on the cast around Kafei's shin.

"How're you holding up?' Link asked, gesturing with his free hand.

Kafei shrugged nonchalantly. "Meh. Ganondorf's bullet shattered my tibia, and my fibula doesn't look much better. They did some surgery, realigned the bones and slapped a cast on me. Normally I think they'd make me stay at the hospital a while longer, but what with the shooting and all… They're kinda running out of rooms. Ordon hasn't got the biggest hospital. So they let me go. I'm not complaining though- at least I get to wear pants."

Link snorted and Kafei shot him a cheeky grin.

"Too bad you're wearing shorts though," Link chuckled, gesturing to the khaki cargos the purple upperclassman was wearing. "If you had pants you could cover up that hideous cast of yours."

"Ugh, not you too, Link!" Kafei groaned loudly, throwing his head back dramatically. "First my mom, then Mrs. Pots, then Anju's friend Cremia… I swear, nobody gets my sense of style except me, Romani and Aryll."

"Aryll's been to see you?" Link asked, his attention perked.

"Oh yeah." Kafei replied, settling back in his wheelchair and folding his arms behind his head. "She and Zelda stopped by a few days ago during lunch to check on Anju, and of course I was there. In fact," he added, glancing down at his wrist and pushing back the length of his purple sweatshirt to get a better look at his watch, "I actually have to get going. It's not that I don't wanna stay and chat, I just… I really wanna bet there when Anju wakes up."

Link nodded sadly, his heart going out to his injured friend.

"Tell her I said hey when she wakes up."

"Will do. Later man." Kafei replied, quickly wheeling his chair back around and rolling back toward the door.

When he got to the handle, however, Link stopped him.

"Hey Kafei, hold on a sec."

"What's up?" he asked, glancing curiously over his shoulder.

"It's just… when you see your dad, tell him I said thanks."

Kafei looked perplexed.

"You know," Link said, gesturing with his free hand, "for what he did for Sheik. He didn't have to do that. It was really nice of him."

Kafei smirked and shook his head ruefully. "Link, come on. Were you expecting anything less? You and Sheik… you saved Anju's life. You saved a lot of lives. My dad's the mayor; he has a responsibility for the people in this community, and he owed you guys for what you did… we both do. And us Dotours, we pay our debts."

He didn't say anymore. With a cheeky grin, the cocky teen wheeled out of the room and was gone, leaving Link chuckling lightly to himself.

Link didn't get to relax just yet, however.

Not even fifteen minutes after Kafei's departure, just as Link was beginning to fade out of consciousness, the door to his room was thrown open and the sound of it reverberating against the wall had his head jolting up in alarm.

A wicked jolt of pain flashed through his body at the start but he gritted his teeth and bore through it, struggling to blink away his sleepiness and see who the intruder was.

He needn't have looked, however. He'd know that obnoxious voice anywhere.

"Oh. My. Goddesses. Roonie, it's him! It's Link! You were right, he's alive! This is so exciting!"

Link felt completely pole-axed as the high-pitched squeal of her voice washed over him, and he found himself mumbling in a horrified, disbelieving sort of way, "…Ruto?"

She squealed again when she heard him, the sound of it rattling through his brain like the discordant tones of a cat being tossed down a staircase. The overly excitable cheerleader quickly flounced across the room, stopping precariously close to Link's bed and hovering over him, rocking back and forth feverishly on her toes as she gazed at him admiringly, her eyes wide and sparkling with awe.

"Din, Link, you look terrible!" she said, not sounding sorry at the least for his condition. "Did Ganondorf do that to you before you killed him? I heard you rushed up to the top of the building to save that new girl. Is she your girlfriend? Oh, was it a forbidden love kind of thing, and the evil guy made off with her and you had to fight your way through hordes of bad guys to get to her, only after all the dramatic tension, right after you'd found her and managed to sweep her off her feet the villain made his dramatic appearance and stabbed you in the chest and left you to die on the floor while he killed the woman you loved in front of your very eyes?"

Link was left staring in dumbfounded stupefaction, his mouth hanging open slightly as the perky girl's overly exuberant words washed over him. He couldn't even tell where she was getting the air to say all that from, because she was talking way too fast to let her pause for breath… But she just kept right on going, talking animatedly to herself about Link's daring bravery and boundless feats of courage as he struggled to save the woman he loved from the evil wicked bad man. To be honest, he wasn't even sure she was paying attention to him anymore, as lost as she was within the fantastically dramatic love story she was spinning for herself.

His rescue came in the form of another teenager who's presence at Link's bedside was every bit as absurd as his girlfriend's.

"Whoa! Hold on there, babe!" Darunia, the high school quarterback, chuckled amiably as he strutted across the room to join Ruto, his arm snaking casually around her shoulders, drawing her flush against his side. She stopped talking immediately, though she kept staring at Link with fervid admiration, breathing heavily through her nostrils like a winded rhinoceros.

"Give the poor guy a little room to breathe, yeah? He just took a dive from Sahasralah's window! Like a boss, might I add." He added, winking conspiratorially at Link as if the two were buddies and had planned Link's final blow against Ganondorf together in the locker room after team practice.

"And so brave…" Ruto chimed in, clasping her hands together in front of her chest.

"I can't think of a better way to have taken that prick down." Darunia said darkly, taking his hand off his girlfriend's shoulders for a moment to crack his knuckles menacingly. "I just wish I'd been there to do it myself. Maybe I could've helped you out, Hero. Stopped you from getting stabbed."

The two teens grinned down at Link, Darunia looking smug and triumphant, Ruto looking ready to burst from repressed excitement. To Link, the entire thing was surreal. What in the world were Ruto and Darunia, the two most popular students at Ordon High, doing visiting him in the hospital? They weren't exactly friends; they never got along in school, Ruto having marked him a social outcast back around seventh grade and Darunia nearly always made sure he didn't have to be on a team with the 'losers' back when they had gym together. To say he was surprised to see them would be like saying the gaping hole in his midsection was only a minor inconvenience to his health.

It took him a moment to realize they were waiting for him to respond.

"Oh, um, yeah. Yeah, maybe." He said quickly, trying not to look too bemused as he wracked his brains for the appropriate response. They seemed not to notice his discomfort however, and kept right on grinning down at him.

"So, uh… What, uh, what brings you guys here?" Link asked awkwardly, inwardly wishing they'd hurry up and leave so he could get some rest. He may be pumped full of pain killers, but that didn't mean he enjoyed being conscious and deal with his aching, throbbing body if he didn't have to… unless, of course, Zelda or his real friends and family were around.

"We stopped by to visit some of the guys." Darunia said, shrugging lightly. "Not everyone on the football team was blessed enough to make it out of that building without a scratch like we were, but we have you to thank for that, don't we?"

Link suddenly felt uncomfortable. "Really, guys, it's not a big deal-"

"What are you talking about?" Ruto said, sounding scandalized at the very thought. "Hero, you're like… the most popular guy in school! You're all anyone can talk about! Do you have any idea how jealous the girls were when I told them I'd been rescued by _the_ Link Hero? They were, like, crazy! I bet you could get any girl you wanted to go with you to Prom this year!"

"If we even have a prom…" Link muttered, but neither of them seemed to hear him.

"Heck, I'd ask you out right now if I weren't already taken by the dreamiest man alive!" Ruto proclaimed proudly, and Link was glad that the couple was too busy giggling at each other to notice the look of utter revulsion that flashed across his face at the idea.

"So Hero, spill!" Darunia said, turning his attention back to Link, who quickly schooled his features so that the duo wouldn't see his impatience at their presence. "Tell us what really went down! The news isn't telling us squat!"

"Well, I-" Link started, frantically thinking of a viable excuse to not have to explain anything when a sudden thought crossed his mind.

"Hey, wait. What exactly has the news been saying?"

"You mean you haven't been watching it?" Ruto gasped theatrically.

"Er, well no… I've sorta been unconscious for the last few days, and…"

Ruto's voice ran right over him. "Oh, just wait til you see it, they've been talking about you on TV for days! Everyone in the country knows your name, Link! You're going to be so excited!"

And with that, she snatched the remote that had been dangling, forgotten, off the side of his bed by the thick white cord that prevented it from getting lost and directed it towards the flat screen on the wall opposite him.

With a brief flash and a quiet hum, the television came to life, the sounds issuing out of the tiny speaker on the remote rather than from out of the TV itself.

"-found out anything new regarding the incident at Ordon High earlier this week, although rumors have begun circulating that Link Hero, the courageous young man who took on the key orchestrator in what has been confirmed as the largest school-based massacre in Hyrulian history in a terrifying tussle to the death, has finally awoken from his coma."

"See, Link!" Ruto squealed excitedly, drowning out the voice of the news reporter, "It hasn't even been on for ten seconds and they already mentioned you!"

"Yeah…" Link muttered weakly, his eyes glued to the screen, something very much akin to dread welling up inside of him.

"Officials have been unable to confirm or deny this, however, and for the time being police have made no motions to question the boy on the truth behind what actually went on behind the vicious assault."

The reporter, a middle-aged blonde woman with too-white teeth and too-tan skin, gave a fake smile that was emphasized by her excessive makeup and sharp blonde hair. Link almost felt like she was taunting him through the screen, as though she were demanding that he answer the question immediately.

The next scene they showed wiped all other thoughts from his mind.

"Here again, the stunning footage taken four days ago during the final moments of the shooting of Ordon High. Viewers are once again warned that some of the images you are about to see are of a highly sensitive and potentially offensive nature. Discretion is advised."

And then Link was watching it; the final events of his showdown with Ganondorf as seen from the outside world. At first there was nothing special; just a camera panning the building slowly, seemingly waiting for something dramatic to happen, the camera man fervently anticipating a scoop. The occasional gunshot could still be heard, signaling that the police raid was still happening on the lower floors, but all other sound was suddenly drowned out by a collective cry of alarm issued from the crowd of reporters, police officers, EMT's and concerned parents as, with the distinctive sound of shattering glass, the entire third floor window of Principal Sahasralah's office exploded outward.

The camera snapped up haphazardly to focus on the newly formed hole on the side of the building, and you could see the glass raining down, glittering like raindrops as they slashed through the air, the tacky blinds slowly trailing after them like streamers. There was a moment of confusion, and you could hear the crowd murmuring amongst itself as they examined the broken glass and the now wide-open expanse of windows, struggling to piece together what had just occurred and what it meant…

A moment later, someone screamed.

There, for a moment, a brief flash of movement was visible through the hole. The camera jerked upward once more, zooming in as far as it could, focusing all of its attention on the hole.

The movement appeared again, then again, just enough to make out a flash of red hair… and then suddenly, Link was looking at himself, pressed up against the wall beside the pane-less window as Ganondorf was bearing down on him.

He heard the crowd's collective cry in fear and alarm as their eyes alighted upon Ganondorf for the first time, and over the panic of the audience he heard the distinctive barks of police officers shouting frantic orders, struggling to take control of the situation.

The crowd screamed again as Zelda suddenly came into view, charging at Ganondorf, and then… she was knocked backward, but nothing had touched her. He could hear the confusion in the crowd's cacophonous babble, but deep down Link remembered what had happened; the dark energy Ganondorf had exuded from his hand to keep her at bay.

When the police snipers fired, Link actually heard the gunshot. It was probably because they were so much closer to the camera than they had been to Link from way up on the third floor. In any event, the sound was so loud and unexpected that he actually jumped in shock before realizing what was happening.

He watched numbly as the first bullets missed, then suddenly began ricocheting harmlessly off of what looked like thin air, letting the shocked and fearful whisperings of the crowd grow louder and louder in his ears as he waited, feeling slightly sick, for what he knew was coming next.

The movement on the screen hardly seemed dangerous, but the memory echoed throughout Link's body and made his actual stab wound throb with the ghost of the pain.

In the moments that followed, as the confused crowd struggled to understand what was going on, Link felt himself break out into a cold sweat as the dark memories of that moment came flooding back to him. He could feel the sickly warm and wet feel of his own blood oozing out onto his fingers. He could feel the razor sharp edges of the knife slicing through him for a second time as he struggled with gradually less responsive digits to pull the weapon back out of him. And he could feel his legs falter as he struggled to lunge forward and drive the bloody blade into Ganondorf's own heartless chest.

He didn't know when he stopped breathing. It might have been when he watched the tiny version of himself on the TV collide with Ganondorf, or maybe when the two started teetering precariously over the edge of the window and the crowd began its collective gasp. All he knew for sure was that as he watched Ganondorf's body tumble towards the ground, one of the machines started beeping loudly, and a nurse he didn't recognize came flying into the room looking alarmed.

It wasn't really until she had forcibly kicked Darunia and Ruto from the room without so much as an explanation that Link began to realize that something was wrong; his heart was pounding too loudly in his ears, he was having difficulty breathing, and the world was starting to spin around him. Yet still, he couldn't bring himself to tear his eyes away from the television screen as he watched himself dangling precariously out of the window, the only thing preventing him from free falling to his death was the trembling arm of a familiar, beautiful blonde girl…

"Mr. Hero? Mr. Hero, can you hear me?" The nurse called out loudly from her position less than a foot from the side of his bed. He wanted to answer 'yes, of course I can hear you, you're yelling for Din's sake!', yet he couldn't make a sound, his eyes glued to the screen, watching as his slick, bloody hand began to slip slowly from Zelda's desperate grasp.

"Mr. Hero?" The nurse said again, lowering herself down and gazing at Link in concern, lifting a hand and thumbing his eyelid.

He continued to ignore her, staring in horror at the screen just over her shoulder, watching Zelda's lips move soundlessly, hearing the frantic, terrified screaming of the crowd, waiting for the moment that he'd begin to fall…

The nurse finally seemed to notice what he was staring at. She reached down swiftly and plucked the remote from off his bed, and just as his body began its terrible freefall…

The screen went black.

Link lay there, motionless, his chest heaving, his heart hammering painfully against his already bruised and battered ribcage. He felt sticky and cold from sweat, and every muscle in his body had gone taut, straining against bones that hadn't fully healed yet, sending shockwaves of pain throughout his musculoskeletal system.

In his minds eye, he could see all of the horrors of that day replaying over and over like the news footage; the screams, the gunshots, the panic, the blood… Sahasralah, Viscen, and Salvatore stacked neatly behind a desk… the nameless shooter who'd killed himself before Link and Aryll had gotten to his room… Anju, laying crumpled on the ground, her body pale as porcelain, the pool of liquid surrounding her as scarlet as her hair…

Sakon, face-first in a pile of dirt, a bloodless bullet hole in his back…

With a jolt, he came back to reality to find the nurse standing over him, gently shaking his shoulder as she did her best to speak to him in soft, gentle murmurs.

"Mr. Hero… Mr. Hero, listen to me, you need to calm down, everything's ok now… It's over, you're safe now. I need you to calm down, ok? Breathe… That's right, just breathe… Everything's ok…"

It took awhile for his heart rate to drop back down to normal levels, and even longer for his muscles to unclench. His nurse said he'd had a panic attack, likely brought on from watching the footage of the attack and threatened to unplug his television if he even thought about turning the news on again. She needn't have worried, though. Link wouldn't have gone back to watching the news if his life depended on it.

His nurse told him she would be turning away any more visitors for the day, which was fine by Link, only he discovered when she left the room that he couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, visions of what he'd seen on the television flashed before his eyes and he'd jolt awake, his breathing erratic, trying hard to calm the frantic beating of his heart as to not draw the attention of his nurse again.

Just when he was beginning to think he'd have a sleepless night, the door opened once more. He turned his head, expecting to see the doctor there to run more tests or his, and was surprised to see not one, but three figures standing in his doorway. And two of them were arguing.

"Please, Chief, don't go in there, not right now, not for this. He's had a bad day, this isn't a good time to make him go over this-"

"Ma'am, with all due respect, there will never be a good time to go over this." came the exhausted voice of one haggard looking chief of police, Rusl Smith. "Now please. Your supervisor already instructed you to let me pass."

Link's nurse, who Link could already tell was fighting a losing battle, clenched her fists, pursed her lips, and exhaled heavily through her nostrils. Finally, with a sigh and an apologetic look to Link, she said, "Fine. But make it quick. My patient needs his sleep.'

Rusl strode into the room without further delay, followed quickly by the third figure; his son, Colin.

Rusl immediately folded into the chair at Link's bedside, his head slumped back with a groan. He looked haggard; the top buttons of his navy police shirt undone, his sleeves rolled up, his pants wrinkled, his face gaunt and sleep deprived. He'd likely been working all-nighters every day since the shooting. Link felt pity for the exhausted man welling up inside of him. Colin followed after his father much more hesitantly, lowering himself slowly into the empty chair beside him, his eyes glued to his shoes as he ignored Link's quizzical gaze.

Link turned his attention back to Rusl and said without preamble, "You look like crap."

Rusl shot Link a wry look and said, "I could say the same about you."

There was a pause, and then the two broke out in conspiratorial grins.

"Ah, Link, it's good to see you're ok. Uli was hysterical after you took your dive from Sahasralah's office. She cried for hours until we heard you were alive and in surgery. And now look at you; awake, alert, cracking jokes… You'd never believe you were near death not even a week ago. Amazing. Truly amazing."

Link said nothing. How was he supposed to respond to that anyway? Thankfully, Rusl wasn't expecting a response.

"Now, as for why I'm here… Your nurse is right, you need to get some sleep. And quite frankly, I need some too, so we're going to keep this short and sweet. I've been putting off coming to see you ever since I heard you were awake. I wanted to give you some peace before asking you to relive the nightmare that was the Ordon High Massacre, as some upstart reporter has so lovingly coined it. Honestly, I'd really rather not have to do this at all, but the fact remains… we need your testimony, Link."

Link blanched. He didn't know why, but somehow, he wasn't expecting this. Maybe because Sheik had said the trials were already over. Maybe because some part of him was hoping that they'd show him mercy and not make him do this, or that he's missed it all when he was unconscious. He could feel the dread from earlier welling up inside of him; the beginning vestiges of the panic that had incapacitated him when Darunia and Ruto had turned on the news.

Rusl seemed to sense his disquiet.

"I don't need to hear everything, Link." He said quietly, and Link could tell he was trying his best to sound soothing. "We got most of what we needed from your friends, the faculty, and the shooters themselves. What we really need from you is your account of what happened in Sahasralah's office between you and Ganondorf. That's all."

Something dark settled in Link's chest. He wanted to know what went down between him and Ganondorf… What was he supposed to say? He couldn't tell him the truth; about Ganondorf being the reincarnated King of Evil or his plot to reunite the Triforce for the first time in centuries and take over the world. He'd think he was nuts!

"You need to cross examine my testimony with Zelda's?" Link asked, trying to delay the moment where he'd be forced to come up with a convincing lie.

"I never asked Ms. Nohansen. I assumed it would be easier if I were to ask you because you know me, rather than having some random officer question her. I didn't want to cause any more harm than had already been done."

Link smiled at the man weakly. It was a kind gesture he supposed, only now that he was the one being questioned he couldn't help but resent Zelda slightly for getting away so easily. He wracked his brains, searching for a plausible story.

"Why don't we start from the beginning. You ran off after you heard Ganondorf on the loudspeaker, and…"

And so he began, spinning a web of lies and deceit and praying he didn't trap himself in it. For the most part he kept as close to the truth as possible, detailing Ganondorf turning his gun on Zelda, him kicking Link, Link assaulting him with the stapler, wrestling the gun away from him. It was at this point, however, that Link hesitated.

"Ok, so… you wrestled the gun away from him and…? What happened to the gun?"

"It, uh, it broke. It hit the wall and fell apart and was sort of forgotten."

Rusl nodded, scribbling something on the paper. "Yes, we found the fragments against the wall. What happened to the desk?"

"The desk?" Link asked blankly, his thoughts in disarray as Rusl leapt ahead in the story.

"Yes, Sahasralah's desk. We found it in pieces on the floor. Was there some sort of explosion in the office? Is that what blew out the windows?"

"The, er… The windows?" Link could remember perfectly well what made the windows explode. The wall of dark energy Ganondorf exuded from his body. Only, he couldn't tell Rusl that. "They were… Oh! Oh, explosion! Yeah, he had a, um… A bomb. He had a bomb. And it… exploded."

Rusl stared at him blankly. "He set off a bomb?"

"Yes."

"In the room?"

"Yes."

"With all of you still in it? And none of you were hurt?"

"…Yes?"

There was a moment of silence as Rusl fixed him with a look of complete and utter disbelief. Link broke out in a cold sweat, his fingers twitching nervously. _Please, Farore, let him move on, don't call me out, just ignore how stupid I sound and move on…_

With a disparaging shake of the head, Rusl thankfully chose not to comment again on how much of an idiot Link sounded. He was eternally grateful.

"Ok… so after the… bomb… that was when you were stabbed?"

"Yes." Link said with conviction, eager to change the topic. "Yes, but you could see all that from the window, right? It's on tape. I saw it."

"Right, but we're just making sure. Can you explain what was happening with the snipers?"

"The snipers?"

"Yes, the snipers. They were attempting to shoot Ganondorf from the moment you were stabbed up until the two of you toppled out the window, however none of their shots could get through. Can you explain that?"

This, Link knew, was the real reason Rusl was there. It was why he let his bomb comment slide. He didn't care about the rest, only why his snipers were ineffective. Link wracked his brains for an answer.

"Um… the snipers… I don't really… I don't really remember that, sir."

"You don't." Rusl said flatly, irritation starting to shine through his words.

"No. But then," Link said, with a sudden rush of inspiration, "I sort of had a knife in my gut. I wasn't really paying attention to anything other than my imminent death."

Rusl was taken aback by Link's bluntness, and he could see the chastened look on his face. Clearing his throat roughly, he sent Link an apologetic look and said, "Right. I'm sorry, Link, I didn't mean to…"

Link shrugged nonchalantly. He felt bad for taking a shot at Rusl like that, but what else could he do?

He fully expected Rusl to get up and leave then, but was surprised when, after a moment of shuffling through more papers, he looked back up at Link and said, "I have one final thing I need to discuss with you, Link."

"You do?" he asked tentatively, awaiting the moment where he'd have to perform more imaginative gymnastics to avoid telling Rusl the truth.

"Yes. The general consensus we've received from the students is that Ganondorf was the leader of the attack and that he had four main subordinates. Can you confirm this?"

"Yes." Link said, feeling relieved. He didn't have to lie about this. This was easy.

"Can you give me their names, please."

"Well, there was Zant, Vaati, Sakon, and Sheik. Only, Sheik was-"

"I know, Link, I know. I was at his trial, after all."

Link sent Rusl a grateful look. "Is that all you needed to know?"

"No, that wasn't the question. We already knew that, I was simply confirming. No, what we need to know is this: We have confirmation on the fates of all five conspirators but one. Sheik was mostly pardoned for turning sides and working to save everyone. Ganondorf, as you know, met his fate at your hands by being stabbed in the chest and falling three stories to his death, and then having your body fall three stories and land on him-"

"Wait, what?" Link cut in, flabbergasted. "I landed on him?"

"Yes. Well, mostly. The right side of your body hit the concrete which is why you have more injuries on that side, but it's believe that the main reason you survived the fall is because his body cushioned you. A bit ironic, don't you think?"

Link was at a loss for words.

"Now," Rusl said, peering back at one of his papers and continuing where he left off, "we have multiple eyewitnesses that have informed us that Zant was killed by Sheik due to a fatal blow to the throat, crushing the cartilage in his esophagus, suffocating him. Vaati likewise was suffocated, only by chemical gas and by the hand of a boy named Shad."

Link felt sick. Hearing these things read off so casually made them sound all the more horrible. Sheik got Zant, and Shad did in Vaati. That only left…

"And finally, we have Sakon. His body was found in the Principal's office laying facedown in a pile of dirt and broken pottery. His skull was partially crushed and there was a bullet wound in his back. We've received numerous reports that you were in the main office at least twice during the attack. Can you shed some light on Sakon's demise?"

He felt his throat stick at the unpleasant memory, but he forced himself to swallow through it and whisper hoarsely, "It was me, Rusl. I did it. I killed Sakon with the pot. When Kafei and I escaped from the room they had us trapped in, Sakon found us… there was a tussle over a gun, he was about to shoot me, I reacted instinctively… And that's it."

Rusl stared at him for a moment, his face expressionless. "And the bullet wound?"

"That…" he hesitated briefly, choosing his words with the utmost care. "…was after the fact. Kafei… and I, we didn't know if he was unconscious or… or not. And we felt like it was too big a risk to leave up to chance."

Rusl nodded slowly before saying softly, "…Alright. Thank you, Link, for telling me that. It's one less loose end we have to worry about."

"Anymore questions?" Link asked, feeling a little rung-out, emotionally speaking.

"No, that should be good. Told you it was short." He flashed Link a small grin as though to clear the air between them and stood, stretching his back with a groan.

"My Din, am I sore! Well, best of luck to you, Link. Give Aryll and Granny Hero my best when you see them next, because Nayru only knows when I will." He chuckled lightly, casting the folder in his hands a rather sadistic look. "I expect Uli will be along sometime to see you. She was so worried about you and your sister during the attack…"

Rusl trailed off unexpectedly, and he and Link both turned their heads toward Colin who had stood up suddenly, facing Link, his hands balled into fists, his arms and shoulders rigid. His head was hung low, however, and he refused to make eye contact. He was trembling.

"Link…" Colin muttered tensely, then hesitated, looking unsure.

Link raised his brow in confusion. "Er… Colin? You ok?"

"Link." He said again, only this time he held his head high and squared his shoulders. He had a fiercely determined look in his steely grey eyes, his jaw clenched rigidly, looking for all the world like he was about to do something incredibly unpleasant.

Link was baffled. What in the world was going on?

"I'm sorry." He said suddenly, and Link blinked in surprise. Rusl leaned back, a troubled look on his face, and studied his son quietly.

"Uh…" Link said blankly, but Colin cut him off.

"I'm sorry that I betrayed you to Ganondorf. It was my fault that he went looking for your friends. I told him where you all were… and I… I understand if you… If you can't forgive me."

There was a tense moment following his pronouncement in which Rusl fixed his unreadable gaze on Link, Link stared in amazement at Colin, and Colin stared resolutely at the floor.

Finally, Link snorted and said, "Colin, what are you talking about?"

Colin look up in mild surprise. "Huh? I… Link, I'm trying to apologize for-"

"Yeah, no, I got that." Link said, waving it off impatiently. "But I mean, why?"

Colin merely stood there, looking confused. "Aren't you… Aren't you mad at me?"

Link laughed. "Uh, no? Colin, really, come on now. Ganondorf had you at gunpoint. What were you supposed to do, die? If I were you, I would've done the same thing. Anyone would. You don't need to beat yourself up over it."

"But Link," Colin said, ready to argue, but Link rode him over.

"And another thing. From what I understand, you flat out refused to give Ganondorf his information unless he promised not to hurt my sister, right?"

Colin's mouth gaped like a fish, but no sound came out.

"Right." Link said, matter-of-factly. "You did what you did not for yourself, but for your girlfriend; my little sister. You were trying to keep her safe. How am I supposed to be mad at you for that?"

Rusl was grinning now, but he hid it behind his hand so Colin couldn't see it. Link could tell; he'd been worried that Link would hold a grudge against him for what happened back at the school, and they both knew Colin was beating himself up over something that really was out of his control.

"Besides, Colin," Link said, his voice growing a little softer, "do you honestly believe you did that much harm?"

Colin, who'd been staring at his shoes in embarrassment, jerked his head back up at Link's words. "But Link, I sold you and your friends out to Ganondorf! I stopped the police from invading-"

"No." Link said flatly, cutting the spluttering boy off once more. "Think about it logically for a second, Colin. Ganondorf had that entire attack planned out methodically. His goal from the beginning was to get me and make me pay for ratting him out and getting him sent off to Juvy." He carefully skirted around the bit about the Triforce and the predestined battle between the Hero of Time and the King of Thieves. "Do you really think he needed information from you for his plan to succeed? And honestly, Colin, that information didn't even have any value. When the attack started everyone bolted out of their classrooms and those who couldn't escape were rounded up and put into other classrooms. You telling him where we were was completely pointless, and he knew that."

Colin's face had gone completely pale, his eyes wide with this newfound revelation. "He didn't… I wasn't… but then why ask? Why make me give him answers and agree to the deal in the first place?"

"Because he was playing you, Colin." Link said gently. "He was playing you because he knew you were Rusl's son, because he knew you were dating my little sister. When you came to get her, he was never actually going to let you go. He probably had some ambush set up for the two of you before you got out."

"But why?" Colin gasped, his hands tearing through his hair.

"Because he's was sick and twisted. Because your pain gave him pleasure. So stop giving it to him. Just let it go."

"But… But the radio frequency, I still-"

"No, Colin." Rusl said, speaking up finally, casting his son a sorrowful look. "You didn't do any harm there either. The decision of when to invade the school was entirely my call, and the fault for us coming so late belongs to me. If anything, you helped us save the day. The frequency you gave them allowed us to trick them into thinking we were coming through the kitchen rather than the gymnasium. True, you didn't plan that, but honestly… Son, no harm came to any of the students because of your actions. Listen to Link. You need to forgive yourself and move on."

Colin was quiet for a moment before sinking onto the bed beside Link's feet, his arms slumped forward on his knees, his head in his hands.

"It doesn't matter." He said softly. "Aryll still hates me…"

Link rolled his eyes. "Aryll's an idiot. And she doesn't hate you."

Colin snorted. "You say that now. You didn't hear her and Sheik after they found out what I'd done."

"No, but I did hear her defend you after you confessed to your dad." Link pointed out, and Colin blinked. "Besides, Aryll and Sheik… You need to give them the benefit of the doubt there."

"What do you mean?" Colin asked, shooting Link a confused look.

"Well, take Sheik for example. Sheik's the kind of guy who blames himself for everything and judges himself too harshly besides. That's just who he is as a person. I honestly think most of his anger towards you was anger he was really deflecting from himself. You were both in similar situations, committing similar crimes… But you know, if he really hated you he wouldn't have stood up for you to your dad and Officer Shiro. I'm not sure if he'll ever fess up and apologize, but… Well, that's Sheik too."

Colin was staring down at his hands now, laying absently on his lap, drinking in Link's words.

"And… Aryll?"

"Aryll's anger is more justified… but her feelings of betrayal and hurt are compounded by our own family history. Aryll and I… we're all that's left of our family, aside from Granny. She's already had to deal with so much loss in her life, I'm sure in that moment, when she found out about your deal with Ganondorf, she felt like you, her boyfriend, a person she's supposed to be able to trust and rely on, had just broken that bond in the worst of ways and threw away the last piece of her family. So she was hurt, yeah. It's understandable. And it may take awhile for you to be able to rebuild that trust… But don't give up hope, Colin. She cares about you, you care about her, and Din burn me if another guy exists in the world who I'm ok with dating my baby sister."

Link laughed at that, half expecting the other two to do the same. He was surprised, however, when Colin remained silent for a moment before unsteadily wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. Clearing his throat gruffly, he stood from the bed and fixed Link with a watery stare, slowly extending his hand.

"Thanks, Link." He said quietly, his eyes swimming with unshed tears.

"Anytime, Colin." Link replied, taken aback at how emotional his little impromptu speech had made the boy. He reached out and accepted Colin's handshake bracingly, hoping he was right about Aryll. He could be wrong, she may not ever forgive him, but he just had this feeling…

Rusl stood then, hooking his arm around Colin's shoulders and bringing him in for a brief one-armed hug. Then with a nod and a grateful smile, he shook Link's hand as well and with a warm farewell, shepherded his son out the door, leaving Link to his thoughts for the night.

Thankfully, the rest of his stay at Ordon Hospital was less emotionally jarring. His family, true to their word, visited him for a couple of hours every day, usually around lunchtime. Link was hard-pressed to decide if he enjoyed these visits or not, because while he was grateful for the company, he loathed how his sister and grandmother seemed to always bring in delicious take-out from various restaurants when they came to see him to tease and dangle tantalizingly before him, unknowingly mocking him for the strict clear liquids diet the hospital staff had placed him on upon waking; apparently, they'd performed complex reconstructive surgery on sections of his intestines that were damaged by Ganondorf's stabbing, and until his digestive tract was up for the challenge he wasn't allowed to eat real food.

Honestly, the inability to ingest anything other than juice, popsicles and gelatin was probably his biggest inconvenience, other than being unable to move. The collective pain of his injuries were rapidly abating as the days went on, and the doctors and nurses were baffled, unable to explain the phenomenon that was his incredibly rapid healing. He still had the sutures in his abdomen, yes, and it was likely he'd have permanent scarring, but that didn't really bother him. The accursed itchiness of his casts, however…

His limbs were healing just as rapidly as the rest of his body, but his leg and arm had taken the worst of the impact after he'd toppled out of the building. His leg had snapped in three places, and he didn't even want to consider what he'd been told about his arm and shoulder. Still, the doctors refused to believe that bones as damaged as his could be knitting together so quickly and were insistent that his casts remain on full-term. So far his attempts to dissuade them were falling on deaf ears. He yearned to be able to flex his limbs once more, unused as he was to being confined in a single place for so long.

His reprieve came in the form of his visitors, the only real dent in the never ending void of boredom that had become his stay at Ordon Hospital (he'd forsaken even the thought of turning on the television after Darunia and Ruto's visit in fear of bringing on another panic attack). His family, of course, was a given; Aryll's cheerful humor and Granny's snide remarks were always enough to brighten up his gloomy room. Sheik and Midna also made frequent visits, filling him in on their many wacky adventures in the magical land of community service. Whether they were assisting the elderly at an old folks home or picking up trash on the side of the road, somehow they managed to get themselves into bizarre situations that were guaranteed to make Link laugh until he cried… which wasn't very difficult, considering how painful laughing still was.

Zelda also visited him daily, although the two never got time alone together. She always seemed to show up whenever someone else was visiting, or else had her visit cut short by the doctors and their incessant testing. As annoyed as he was that they couldn't get any one-on-one time, he was still always happiest when she was around. She made it a point during her visits to sit in the same chair she'd been in when he awoke, their hands interlocked, their respective Triforce marks glowing a little brighter at the close contact. They were forced to angle their hands awkwardly so the others didn't notice this little oddity, but neither of them cared much. It was worth it.

Kafei would visit occasionally, and although the two would exchange witticisms and banter like old friends, Link could never fight off the lingering shadow of despair that came with him; the kind that settled like a mantle over the room when he would announce that Anju still hadn't come to yet. And try as he might, Link still couldn't help but feel slightly guilty that the Goddesses had blessed him with such incredible healing power, yet he couldn't do a thing for Anju…

Link still had plenty of other more cheerful visitors to help prevent him from ruminating constantly over his still-suffering friend, however.

A couple days after waking, Aryll's friends Saria, Malon, and Mido had come fumbling into the room, looking a little unsure of themselves. Link knew why; while his and his sister's friends had occasionally hung out together in the past, and while he knew and liked most of them well enough, they weren't really all that close individually. He was touched, however, by the concern in Saria's eyes when she asked how he was feeling, and chuckled earnestly when Malon brandished a silly cow plushy from her large purse, plopping the stuffed animal on the windowsill and claiming it was there to brighten up his drab room. Mido was still a bit of an idiot, but he didn't have to show up in the first place, so Link was pleased all the same. He decided to make it a priority to get to know Aryll's friends a little bit better. Who knew; maybe they'd become his friends too.

If seeing Aryll's friends was unexpected, they had nothing on his next visitor. When Linebeck, the janitor, sidled awkwardly into the room the next day Link had merely stared at him in bewilderment. He hadn't stayed for long and had merely mumbled something about him 'promising to check up on the kid' and something about someone named 'Sparky' before slinking back out the door. Link had heard from Midna that Linebeck had actually come through in the clutch, helping to save her in the gym and driving the bus load of kids to safety, so he assumed everything he had thought about the lazy janitor was wrong. If anything, coming to see him even though the two had never really interacted only further proved the point. Still, he remained staring at the door for a while after the janitor had departed, struggling in vain to understand what made the bizarre man tick.

The biggest surprise came from Shad and Ashei.

"You're not coming back to school?" Link blurted out in shock in the middle of their conversation.

Shad, who'd seated himself in a chair beside Link's bed, casually adjusted his glasses and fixed Link with a bemused look.

"Honestly, it can't come as much of a surprise, Link. I imagine a significant portion of the students won't ever come back. They were afraid for a while the school would be shut down permanently. As it is, it's already been closed down for the next month while they perform the necessary repairs and search for anyone desperate enough to fill the vacancies in the faculty."

"Yeah, but still…" Link muttered, unable to imagine attending a class without the brainy Shad or the eternal tomboy Ashei. The two had been staples since kindergarten. True, they hadn't been particularly close until the shooting, but even so… They were friends now, and he would miss them.

"Hey, cheer up, yeah?" Ashei said, lightly rapping Link's good leg with her knuckles from her spot beside Shad, "You'll still see me at the girl's Volley Ball games when my new team shows up to thrash Ordon next year. As long as you show up, I mean. And you _will_ show up."

Link sent her a small smile to show he knew she was teasing, but he had to work to make it seem real. When she'd shown up at his room being pushed in a wheelchair like by Shad, he'd been stunned. He had no idea the two hadn't made it out of the building through the air vent when they'd split up. He couldn't help but feel slightly guilty for the bullet wound in her upper thigh that prevented her from walking and for Shad's newfound case of asthma. They had glossed over the details of what had happened; a run in with Vaati, shots were fired, random chemical spills, the usual for the dynamic duo. He assumed they hadn't wanted to drudge up the memories themselves, but they made the mistake of dropping Zelda's name, so he made a mental note to quiz her later.

When he realized he'd been quiet for too long, he asked, "So what brought up the idea of a private school?"

"My Ma." Ashei said, rolling her eyes dramatically. "She figured a fancy, classy place would be less prone to shootings. I can't say I care really, it's only that we have to wear uniforms now, so…"

She shuttered comically, and he grinned. Even after taking a bullet, Ashei was still the same as ever. It was good to know not everything had changed.

"And you, Shad?" he asked, turning his attention to the bespectacled ginger.

"It's thanks to Ashei, actually." He replied, and Link once again had to stop himself from wincing at the sound of his voice. The doctors said they'd be able to treat his lungs, and even now he had to carry an oxygen tank around with him until he was officially discharged him from the hospital. It wasn't the tubes in his nose that altered his voice, though; it was the slight scarring of his esophagus along with bits of his nasal cavity and lung tissue, the kind that wouldn't ever go away.

"My mother demanded that I be home schooled. She's been wanting it for awhile, but I've always been able to hold her off before now. In truth, I didn't think anything would be able to change her mind… until Ashei mentioned the private school she was being sent to. She went on for a bit, embellishing on their scholastic accolades and attention from the nation's premier universities and my mother was sold. I'm just glad I won't be trapped at home for the rest of my life."

Shad sent Ashei a smirk which resulted in an ungainly snort and a derisive comment about what a momma's boy he was, and in a flash the two were off exchanging quips and sarcastic remarks at lightning speed. Link was forced to settle with a rueful shake of his head; at least the shooting of Ordon High had a few positive points. To think an uncanny friendship would spawn in the face of such sorrow…

The duo left not long after, Shad pushing Ashei, his oxygen tank propped up on the back of her chair, her shouting orders at him like he was her chauffer while he rolled his eyes skyward, as if to say 'why me?'.

And then, of course, he received his most flamboyant guest.

When Ralph came strutting into the room a few days later, Link was in the middle of attempting to drink awkwardly from a tiny plastic cup of apple juice. The surprise of seeing him was so great that he choked, the juice going down the wrong pipe, and he was reduced to fit of coughing and splutters.

"Good Farore!" Ralph exclaimed with emphatic gusto, leaping forward and hammering Link on the back bracingly, sending shockwaves of pain throughout his body, worsening the situation immensely. "Breathe, man, breathe! It doesn't do to have our nations hero vanquished by a beverage! What would the press say!"

Still hacking, Link managed to choke out, "R-Ralph… What are… What are you doing here?"

"Why, I came to see you, of course! To think, that one so noble as I would not visit my dear friend Link on his death bed… I'm appalled at the very notion!"

"Er," Link said, hastily wiping his chin with a puzzled expression, "deathbed? I'm not dying, Ralph… actually, I feel a lot better now…"

Ralph ignored him.

"Of course, I would be remiss to pass up this magnanimous opportunity! You, Link, my greatest rival, my most worthy adversary, defeated and cast down to the earth in shame!"

"Rival? …Opportunity?"

"But alas! Tis I who am shamed by you, Link! Once again you have defeated me! Once again you have crept in and stolen the glory that was rightfully mine!"

"Are you talking about the sixth grade spelling bee again? Because dude, it's not my fault you messed up on 'platitudinous'. You need to let that stuff go."

Stalking to the foot of Link's bed, Ralph turned and struck a dramatic pose. "This is not the end, Link Hero! Soon, my moment shall come and I shall be the one praised and adored for my heroics! Until next we meet!"

And on that pontificating note, he turned with a flap of his odd blue jacket and strutted right back out the door, leaving Link feeling even more confused than normal in traditional Ralph fashion.

Finally, after approximately three weeks, the doctors were forced to conclude that as odd as Link's incredible healing prowess was, there was basically no reason to keep him any longer. They cut sections of his cast away, leaving the portion that stretched from his hand to his elbow as well as the part that encased his shin and ankle, the result being that he could walk provided he carry a crutch. The sutures had been removed from his stomach a week or so back leaving a ghastly puckered scar just above and slightly to the left of his belly button; a menacing two-and-a-half inch reminder of the price of being the Hero.

It was on Link's last night in the hospital that he received his final group of visitors. It was around seven in the evening and Link was lounging back in his bed, his free arm tucked behind his head as he stared languidly at the television (he'd caved in a week or so back on account of sheer boredom, but resolutely avoided the news stations). To say he was excited to be getting out of the stuffy hospital after nearly a month was an understatement; as if the prospect of wearing pants again wasn't enough, his grandma had decided to throw a party in honor of his recovery. Sure, it was a little odd to be having a party in the wake of such horror, but as his grandmother put it, they couldn't sit and mourn forever. Life moved on, and they had to move with it.

Link was just starting to get teary-eyed over the climactic ending of 'A Walk To Remember' (they didn't get the greatest variety of channels at Ordon Hospital. Or at least, that was his excuse if anyone asked to save his manly pride) when he heard the now familiar click of the doorknob.

Quickly straightening up and wiping his eyes, he fumbled for the remote and hastened to change the channel before who he presumed was the nurse walked in and witnessed his shameful moment of insecurity.

To his surprise, however, it was not the nurse.

"Mr. Oshus?"

"Ah, Mr. Hero! Good, you are awake." The elderly man beamed beneath his thick white eyebrows, stroking his bushy mustache with gusto. In behind walked two more surprises; Coach Nabooru and Link's old favorite teacher, Mr. Auru.

The commercial suddenly ended on whatever station he had changed it to, and the theme song for the next show suddenly began to play.

'_My Little Pony, My Little Pony, Ahhh ahhh ahhh ahh-'_

Link practically leapt out of his skin, nearly dropping the remote again in mortification. Hurriedly mashing his fingers against the buttons, he managed to increase the volume, adjust the brightness to maximum, and turn on the Spanish subtitles before succeeding in finding the power button.

"I, uh," Link panted, his face flushed scarlet under the bemused and slightly disturbed gazes of his teachers, "th-that's not… I wasn't watching… You- You startled me when you came in, and- and the remote slipped, and…"

There was an awkward pause, during which Auru coughed discretely into his hand.

"Right. Of course." Mr. Oshus said finally, in a tone that said he clearly didn't believe that for a second. Nabooru snickered unabashedly, her golden eyes gleaming with mirth.

"Link, how are you feeling?" Auru asked a touch too loudly, settling himself in Sheik's preferred chair on Link's right beside side table with the now-dead vase of flowers.

"Fine!" he replied a little too eagerly, happy to change the subject to anything but the children's cartoon that he was sure would now single-handedly ruin his reputation. "Just great, actually. Yeah, the doctor says they're gonna release me tomorrow, so…"

"Well that's terrific news!" Auru replied, beaming in a genuine sort of way. "Good Farore, that was fast! Were there any complications in surgery? Anything at all?"

"Not really, no." Link said, shrugging. "The surgeon said it was a cakewalk. The first time he's ever seen someone get part of their intestines split open that didn't result in instant widespread infection. He just sowed me up, bandaged up my limbs and sent me on my way. I mean I was in a coma for a bit, but…"

"Incredible… I've never heard of such a thing…" The older man murmured, and Link made a mental note to tone it down a bit; he didn't want anymore awkward questions that he couldn't answer, like with Rusl… Or did he? Would telling Auru be such a big deal? He was the history teacher, after all, and he knew all about the old legends… And most importantly Link felt like he could trust him…

"Indeed." Oshus intoned gravely, finally rejoining the conversation though he didn't take a seat like Auru had. Nabooru was still chortling in the background. "Truly a miracle. What happened that day was an unheard of catastrophe, but never let it be said that the Goddesses forsook us. We have much to be grateful for."

Link was a little unsure how to deal with Mr. Oshus, admittedly. Nabooru and Auru he at least knew on a more personal level; Auru having taught him last year and he took gym as a freshman under Coach Nabooru and Darmani's duel teachings, as all freshmen did. But he'd never taken Marine Biology; he'd had a hard enough time with _regular_ biology. Science just wasn't his forte.

"Now, Mr. Hero, I'm sure you're wondering why we're here." Oshus began again, and Link refrained from agreeing aloud; he didn't want to come across as rude, after all. "Have you had any news on the state of the school since you awoke?"

"Not really." Link said slowly, not sure where this was going. "I mean, I heard it had shut down for the month, but other than that…"

Oshus nodded as if he had expected as much. "Yes indeed. Ordon High was shut down after that ghastly incident, and the remaining students were given two weeks reprieve for psychological reasons. Classes have since resumed, though on the campus of the local community college until the work on the building is completed, however many of our students have instead transferred to other area high schools. Our number of students has greatly dwindled, but I cannot begrudge them their decisions. It has been a trying time for us all."

"Have they already decided on a new Principal?" Link asked curiously.

Oshus smiled. "In fact, they have."

"Really? Who is it?"

"Me." Oshus replied simply.

Link stared at him for a moment, slightly taken aback, then grinned.

"Congratulations. Who's the Vice?"

"That would be me." Nabooru chimed in, stepping up beside Oshus and smirking down at Link. Link tried to hide his grimace.

_Great… the new Vice Principal thinks I watch My Little Pony…_

"In any case, Link," Oshus said, bringing them back on topic, "we didn't come here to tell you that. We came to discuss a certain matter with you, and when Auru heard we were coming he asked to tag along."

"Oh. Um, ok. What is it?" He replied, feeling baffled and slightly on edge. Whenever the Principal asked to discuss something with you, it was never good… which was an odd way to view the situation, considering Link hadn't been to school since Oshus got the job, but some instincts are simply hard to kill.

"Many members of the community requested that we construct a memorial at the high school; something dedicated in honor of those who lost their lives, to preserve their memory. The mayor approved the idea immediately, and after several generous donations from many prominent members of our society, construction began."

"Great…" Link said slowly. And it was; he just wasn't sure what this had to do with him.

Oshus seemed to sense his confusion and plowed on. "It going to be a flower garden, out on the side of the school. One flower planted for every student and teacher who died. Their names will be inscribed on a stone wall fixture just behind it. They predict it should be ready in about a week, just in time for the school to reopen its doors as an institution for learning. We're planning on having a dedication ceremony… and we would like you to speak."

Link felt his stomach drop out.

"Speak?" He repeated in a strangled sort of way, his voice sounding far too high and squeaky for his liking.

"Yes." Oshus replied, studying Link through wizened sea-green eyes. "I will also be speaking, as will Mayor Dotour and the Chief of Police, Rusl Smith. But we feel it would be best if you were to speak as well, Link."

"Why me?" Link asked, a little too quickly. Public speaking was definitely not something he was comfortable with. He was already feeling faint…

"Well you're the hero of the whole country." Nabooru said, rolling her eyes. "The people want to hear from you."

"What? I'm not a hero!" Link blurted out hastily, scowling up at his one time coach. Her words had touched a sore point; yes, he _was_ a hero. The Hero, in fact. But for a reason they would never know. They wanted to parade him not for stopping Ganondorf, but for putting an end to the senseless slaughter of their children. Sure, it was also a heroic task… but to him, it was a discordant nightmare he knew he'd be fighting his entire life to forget. Things in his life had already become weird enough what with the whole Triforce thing. He just wanted things to go back to normal… or at least as close to normal as they could possibly be.

"Coach, Oshus… I did what I did because it needed to be done and for no other reason. If you put me up there and parade me around like I'm some sort of hero, people are gonna start treating me different. I don't want special treatment for something that I'd honestly rather forget entirely."

"Look, kid." Nabooru growled, starting to showcase her trademark impatience, but Link cut her off.

"No, you look! You want a 'hero' to speak for you? Get Sheik. Or Midna. Or Zelda, or Aryll, or Collin, or Kafei, or Ralph. They were all there; they all helped as much as me. Or better yet, leave us alone! Haven't we done enough already?"

Link didn't even realize he'd started yelling until Auru reached out and grasped his shoulder gently.

"It can't be them, Link. It has to be you." Auru said softly.

Link turned on him, feeling stung; the one person he expected to be on his side…

"Why?" He shot back, his tone scathing.

"Because the students are scared." Oshus intoned sadly, finally deigning to sit in the chair opposite Auru, bringing his gaze level with Link's. "They are frightened, my boy, and I cannot blame them. For many, it will be a serious trial to even venture near a school building again, let alone enter one on a daily basis. They have suffered a great deal, been held captive, wounded, lost loved ones and friends. Any illusion of safety that being at school once afforded them was destroyed utterly, perhaps never too return.

"But in you, Link, they see something else. They see a boy like them who did the impossible, who in the face of grave peril stood up against the rising threat in their defense. A boy who was willing to accept any pain, even death itself, to save them. You carried within yourself that day a light that cast off the seemingly endless darkness of despair and hopelessness that Ganondorf and his accomplices used to subjugate them, and they can never forget that. You carry that light with you still, Link. You, and your friends as well. The school saw it when you broke into the classrooms and delivered them from their captors. The city saw it when you and your friends helped rally the police and lead the students to safety. And the nation saw it when you tackled Ganondorf out of that window, heedless of your own safety. Like it or not, Mr. Hero, you have become Hyrule's light of hope, and they need you now more than ever."

Link's swallowed thickly, struggling to piece together a plausible defense against the wise old man's words, yearning with all of his heart to dismiss everything Oshus was saying… and yet in spite of his better judgment he found himself asking, "What do you mean?"

Oshus sighed heavily, his bulky mustache fluttering in despondence. "If enough students do not return to Ordon High, they will close the school down. They have agreed to finish out the year with however many do come back, but I must confess I fear the worst. If they tear down Ordon High, think of the negative result it will have on our city? How many teenagers will drop out rather than transfer? How many families will move to escape the painful memories? The students are too afraid to return on their own… They need someone to look to for renewed hope in the future, and that person, Link, is you."

"But why!" Link blurted out, his throat uncomfortably tight. "Why would they listen to me? You already have you, Oshus, and Rusl and Kafei's dad! If they can't convince the kids and their parents to stay why in Din's name would I be any different?"

"Because you're one of them, Link." Auru said, sighing softly as he ran his hand distractedly through his unkempt graying hair. "Think about it. Teenagers don't want to listen to some faceless government official. Chief Smith? Most of the students think the police are failures for making them wait so long to be rescues. And us? Link, what words could Oshus or any of the teachers say that wouldn't sound hollow and empty to their ears? During the attack we were just as helpless as them, and they know that. They don't need some adult telling them what to do. What they need is one of their own being an example."

"But that's just it." Link growled angrily. "I'm _not_ one of them. I never have been. Ordon High has been plagued with cliques and social classes since long before I ever became a freshman. Most of the students there either hate me or have never given me the time of day because they judge you before they even have a chance to get to know you. Why would my words make any difference? And you know what, I hated that school. I hated everything about it. Maybe it's a good thing that it's getting closed down. No more cliques, no more social pariahs, no more bullying…"

"None of that will change if the school shuts down. The students will go off, scattered to different schools where they'll be absorbed into their cliques and castes and the cycle will continue. But you have a chance to break it here, Link."

"How?" Link snorted. "I can't break down those walls, Auru."

"The walls are already broken, Link. Ganondorf saw to that. He knew the flaws of the system and used them against us. He gathered under his wing the outcasts, turned their hurt and loneliness into rage and hate, whispered evil, cruel things into their ears and then set them free on the school. And we broke, Link. The fragile teenage society shattered, and the pieces lay scattered on the ground, waiting for someone to put them back together. Their waiting for you. Because you know the truth, you know what it feels like to be the outcast and you know what needs to be done to set things right. And because of what happened, because you and your friends saved everyone, you're the link that connects all the factions… er, pun not intended."

Nabooru snorted, but Link just scowled bitterly. He wanted to rant and complain more, but he could already feel the bitter tang of defeat sinking in. He hated it when his teachers were right.

Link sighed, closing his eyes and sinking back into his bed.

"Fine." He muttered sulkily. "I'll do it. Happy?"

"Overjoyed." Nabooru drawled flatly.

Auru smiled in relief. "Great. Thank you, Link. And don't worry; it doesn't have to be long at all, just as long as it's from you."

They got up to leave not long after, and Link had to force himself not to sigh with relief. He shook Oshus's hand firmly and struggled not to wince too openly at Nabooru's vice grip. It was with Auru, however, that he made his mistake.

"Link, what is that on the back of your hand?"

Link froze, his blood running cold. He'd forgotten he was supposed to be hiding the Triforce insignia on the back of his hand… and of course, the one person guaranteed to know what it meant would be the one to see it.

He tried to snatch his hand back, but Auru had a firm grip on it, studying the golden trio of triangles intensely.

"What is it?" Nabooru asked, her curiosity spiked as she strode quickly back from where she'd stalked a moment earlier towards the door.

"My word…" Oshus said in a hushed tone, leaning forward across Link's hospital bed to get a better look.

"It's- Ah, it's nothing!" Link gasped, struggling to reclaim his captured appendage from Auru, who said nothing in response, his eyebrows slowly climbing towards his hair.

"I still don't know what it is." Nabooru stated flatly, looking bored and unimpressed as the two older men continued to stare at Link's hand in awe.

"That's because it's nothing!"

"Link, my dear boy… do you know what this means?" Oshus asked, gazing at Link's mark as if he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Um… nothing?"

"Link." Auru said calmly. "Where did this mark come from?"

"Uh…" he said blankly, wracking his brains for a plausible lie. "It, uh… Ganondorf?"

The trio of adults turned simultaneous to stare at Link. He inwardly cringed. He'd spluttered out the first thing that came to mind, which was, of course, Ganondorf. Stupid Triforce…

"Ganondorf." Auru stated bluntly, and Link nodded weakly.

"He gave you a weird tattoo?" Nabooru asked, puzzled. "Well that's stupid. And we care because…?"

"Nabooru, have you no idea the significance of this mark?" Oshus cried in shock. Nabooru merely shrugged.

"It's-" Auru began to explain, but Link cut him off.

"No! No, it's a tattoo! Definitely a tattoo!" No matter what, he couldn't let them know what it actually meant. Otherwise, people would never leave him or Zelda alone.

Auru and Oshus fixed him with identical looks of disbelief.

Nabooru frowned. "Why did Ganondorf bring a tattoo kit to shoot up the school?"

"Uh, it's because he… Because he…" All three adults were staring at him intently now, and he felt himself breaking out in a panicked sweat. He would need to come up with a really good lie to get out of this one. But what could he say that wouldn't bring up any awkward questions?

"He… uh…"

"Whatever." Nabooru said, loosing her patience. "Will someone please tell me why we care that Hero got a tattoo?"

"Nabooru, we care because it's the Triforce of Courage." Auru said, sounding irritated at his colleagues naivety.

"The who of what?"

"The Triforce of Courage! The mark of the Hero, the blessing of Farore, one-third of the Golden Power! Have you no knowledge of your nation's history?" Oshus demanded, flabbergasted.

"History wasn't really my thing…" She murmured absently, gazing at Link's mark with renewed interest. "And Ganondorf tattooed that on you? Why?"

"He… Because he's deranged!" He blurted out a little too loudly, decided if he was going to lie he might as well stick close to the truth. "He thought-… He thought he was the King of Thieves reborn or something, and I guess that made me the Hero of Time since I'm his arch rival or something. I dunno, he was pretty much nuts."

"Is that why he wanted to fight you alone after the police had basically already won?"

"Yes!" Link said, grateful Nabooru was keeping the conversation going. He couldn't tell if Oshus and Auru were buying it or not; they're faces were unreadable masks. "Yeah, that's why he took Zelda too. He thought she was the Princess of Destiny. He slapped the marks on us when he had us imprisoned. Pretty weird, right? Haha… ha…"

"Zelda Nohansen has a mark as well?" Oshus asked, intrigued.

"Er, yes… sir."

"And Ganondorf; he had a mark?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, what does it matter? They're fakes, right? It's a shame, though; if Ganondorf wasn't so crazy he'd have had a good future as a tattoo artist. That thing doesn't look like a tattoo at all- it's like your skin is actually golden."

Link didn't exactly know how to respond to that. Oshus sent Auru a disconcerted look. "Well… I suppose… It must be fake. If the boy says it's a tattoo…"

Auru, who'd been staring blankly into space, his face slightly more pale than it had been before, started back into reality and said, "Yes… Yes. It's a hoax, Oshus. Ganondorf can't possibly have been… I mean, he's dead. So it's irrelevant."

He shook his head lightly and stood, sending pointed looks at his colleagues. "Well. I think we've taken up enough of young Mr. Hero's time. We should be going."

The other two nodded, and after another round of handshakes, they set off. Link was left feeling a little odd about Auru's last statement. Just before he exited the room, Link called out for him to wait.

"Yes, Link?" Auru asked, looking perplexed.

"It's just… Well, you said Ganondorf couldn't have possibly been the King of Thieves because he was dead, right? Why would his being dead matter?"

Auru scratched at his arm absently, looking troubled. "It's nothing to worry about, Link. Don't let it bother you."

"Humor me."

Auru chuckled amusedly at his one-time pupil. "Come now, Link. You were a better student than that. Ganondorf can't be the King of Thieves reborn because you defeated him. And even if you were the Hero of Time, you can't have defeated the King of Thieves all on your own."

"Right." Link said, feeling slightly relieved. "Because the pieces of the Triforce are equal in strength, so I'd have needed the Triforce of Wisdom on my side."

"Ah, well yes, I suppose that is true, but that's not what I was referring to. The Hero of Time is always the one who defeats the King of Thieves not because he teams up with the Princess of Destiny and together overpower him. The Hero of Time is the only person in history who can wield the Master Sword with impunity, the only weapon capable of striking down the Demon King, and seeing as the Master Sword is still sitting in its pedestal at the Temple of Time up in Castleton…"

He shrugged as if to say '_there you go!_' and backed out the door, waving one final time. The door swung shut slowly behind him, leaving Link staring blankly after him, something dark and foreboding stirring in his chest.

* * *

The sun was perhaps a bit too bright and cheerful that morning, but that was the nature of April, Link decided. Spring had arrived hard and fast and no amount of human sorrow and melancholy would keep it at bay. Maybe the goddesses were trying to tell them something; time never stopped moving, winter always gives way to spring, and it was time for them to move on.

A little too poetic for his tastes, perhaps, but he was in that sort of mood. Time was moving, and they needed to move with it. If only it'd move a little slower and give him some time to think.

A brief gust of wind caught him in the back, still a little chilly from the last vestiges of winter, ruffling through his neatly combed hair and fluttering the edges of his suit coat. Din, but he hated dressing like this… It was thick and stiff and constricted his movements, and his white collared shirt and appropriately black tie made him feel like he was being strangled. Worst of all, his shoes pinched his toes. All in all, he could never understand why lawyers and such chose to dress like this on a daily basis.

Then again, Zelda had remarked how warm the jacket was when he'd draped it around her shoulders earlier that morning (giving her his jacket was becoming a thing for them, though he'd been forced to take it back when he'd stepped up on the makeshift stand) and it did have a particularly nice smell to it… Maybe it wasn't _all_ bad.

For the umpteenth time that morning, Link swept his gaze across the crowd and zeroed in on his girlfriend. Zelda, her hair straightened somberly and wearing a black dress that didn't suit her personality in the slightest, sat stoically between Midna and Aryll, her gaze fixated on Chief Smith as he spoke from the podium. As though sensing his gaze, her eyes flicked over to him briefly and she shot him yet another encouraging smile before returning her attention to Colin's father.

Link sighed heavily, refusing to do the same, adamantly blocking out the somber tones of Rusl Smith whom the rest of the audience was directing their rapt attention. Link felt trapped, being stuck up on the small, makeshift wooden stage that had been arrayed just to the side of Ordon High. The audience lay out before him like a tiny black ocean, but Link, as one of the speakers, was one of the few unlucky enough to have to sit on the stand. There were only four chairs; one for each speaker and all of them made of ancient, rickety metal that squeaked every time he shifted his weight. Two seats occupied each side of the stage; Link and Oshus on the left, Mayor Dotour and Rusl Smith's now vacant seat at the right, with a gap in between so that they weren't obscured from the audience's view by the small, plain podium. Link regretted not being given even that small luxury.

Not wanting to think about what he was about to be forced to do, he turned away from Smith as his careful and somber speech and instead began examining the newest addition to the school grounds.

The flower bed was lovely. Admittedly, when he'd first heard the idea for the flower garden, he imagined something small, hushed-up and out of the way. What he'd found when he'd arrived for the memorial service that morning, however, was something much more.

It was a large, semi-circular plot of land directly beside one of the walls of the building, situated on the once-blank stretch of grass that made up the space between the school and the football field. A raised stone wall made up the border of the enclosure, approximately two feet tall. The dirt within was the rich chocolate brown of fresh fertilizer, dotted with a few artistically placed boulders of dark moss green and grey and dozens of flowers of varying shades. Link struggled for a moment to recall what Mayor Dotour had said about them in his speech earlier; the dark-red roses he recognized, of course, because who didn't know what a rose looked like? But the odd looking flowers with the purplish-red centers and golden edges he thought were called zinnias, and the pale white and lavender flowers were called columbines. There were a few others and they all apparently had some sort of secret flower meaning, but Link didn't care about that, instead focusing on the way the colors blended and worked together in completely discordant tones that adequately reflected the natures of the people they symbolized. Yet even the beauty of the scene wasn't enough to distract him from focusing on the sheer number…

Forty-two flowers. One for every student, teacher, faculty member and police officer who lost their lives on the day of the Ordon High Massacre. Link hadn't been prepared for that number when Mayor Dotour had initially stated it in his opening remarks; somehow, during the attack and afterwards he'd managed to avoid talking about the casualties. He knew there'd been a lot, he just never wanted to know how many, and somehow he never imagined in his wildest nightmares it would be so high.

Six police officers. Ten members of the faculty, including the principal and vice principal, the school resource officer, at least one janitor, a couple lunch ladies, and one of the secretaries he'd been imprisoned with. Fourteen teachers, including teaching aides and substitutes. Twelve students.

They didn't include the shooters on the list according to the general unspoken consensus.

Link shivered again in spite of his warm, if stuffy, jacket and let his eyes rake the wall above the flower bed. Into the aged russet brick wall had been set a façade of black marble that extended to either end of the semi-circular flower bed. On each end what looked like two-dimensional obsidian Doric pillars had been carved into the dark stone, reaching about eight feet in the air. Atop the pillars were carved the likeness of two long diagonal wooden beams that met in the middle and formed a large, angled archway set against the stone. It was a simple outline; so simple, in fact, that the meaning might have been lost to some, but Link understood immediately: the artist had carved it in similitude of a home. The pillars the walls, the wooden beams the roof, and in center…

Beneath the arch, between the pillars, nestled within their makeshift home, inscribed forever in the shiny, reflective surface of the black marble was the Hylian crest, the stylized wings of a mythical bird in flight. Just below this was written the date of the attack, and the words 'Gone But Not Forgotten'. The rest of the wall was occupied by the names of the victims.

Thankfully, at least in Link's opinion, the names weren't arranged in stuffy, orderly lines; rather, they were distributed seemingly at random and at evenly-spaced intervals all up and down the wall. There was no respecting of position, either; names of police officers were displayed between faculty members and teachers mingled with students. It was like their way of saying that the loss of any single one of them was every bit as painful and difficult to bear as the rest. It made Link's heart swell in spite of the sadness; they were equals.

Link suddenly became aware of the shuffling and quiet murmuring of the crowd, as well as the lack of the deep, bass rumbling he'd associated with Rusl Smith's voice, whose speech he'd been carefully tuning out. Turning his head quickly back towards the podium, he felt his stomach drop out. Chief Smith was returning to his chair. Mayor Dotour was sending him an expecting look. Principal Oshus, who was sitting directly on Link's left, placed a bracing hand on Link's shoulder and nodded towards the microphone.

Oh Din.

It was time. Time to get up and speak. Farore, why hadn't he been paying attention? For that matter, why hadn't he spent more of his free time in the last week preparing? Procrastination always did get the better of him… He'd never hated his lazy slacker tendencies more than he did now.

Swallowing gruffly, or at least trying to because his throat had gone completely dry, Link climbed unsteadily to his feet. The brightness of the sun was suddenly blinding, and his movements felt stiff and jerky within his uncomfortable suit. Heart rate spiking, he suddenly felt like a laboratory specimen under a microscope as every head in the audience turned toward him with unnerving expectancy. In the back of the crowd, several news stations had sent camera crews to film the event, which he'd been told was being broadcast live across the entire country; apparently his had become a national story and everyone was eager to hear what he had to say.

The problem was… he had no idea himself.

The palms of his hands were sweaty against the tepid wood of the podium. Swallowing again, he attempted to buy a handful of precious seconds by clearing his throat roughly and tugging at the collar of his shirt. It was funny in a way; you'd think he'd become used to complete and utter abject terror after the events he'd been through, but there was just something about public speaking… Link was an action kinda guy, he expressed what he needed to through doing. He wasn't a speaker. This was a whole new level of fear.

He felt a horrible twisting sensation in his gut that had nothing to do with the grotesque scar on his naval and tried not to whimper, the sound of which would have been amplified via microphone to the entire nation. _Nayru, help me… _he begged silently, praying in his mind for some sort of divine intervention to get him through this nightmare.

As though in answer to his prayer, his gaze subconsciously searched out his girlfriend's. When his eyes met her startling red-violet irises, something inside him seemed to click into place. He felt calmer; not that he was relaxed, but he wasn't on the verge of passing out, either. It was as though his courage responded to her, and he couldn't let her see him falter. Part of him supposed it might have something to do with her knowing he held the Triforce of Courage, but if he was being honest it was probably just because his pride couldn't take it if his girlfriend saw him chicken out.

She smiled at him softly, both encouraging and secretly amused at how uncomfortable he was up on the stage, then silently mouthed to him, 'It's only me.'

He grinned at her gratefully when he understood; of course, there was nothing to be afraid of, he just needed to pretend like he was talking to her and ignore the crowd of people around them. Yeah. Of course. That sounded easy, right? He could do this.

He realized a moment later that he'd been standing at the podium for nearly thirty seconds and hadn't said a word.

Coughing to hide his embarrassment, he gripped the wooden edges of the stand and said, hesitantly, "Good morning."

_Good morning?_ What kind of crap introduction was _that? _How cliché and unoriginal could he be? Besides, there wasn't anything even remotely good about this morning! Two words in and already he would be known as the crappiest orator of all-time.

Two seats to the left of Zelda, Link saw Sheik snigger at his words, prompting Midna to elbow him savagely in the gut. Zelda rolled her eyes ruefully at their friends before returning her gaze to him, lifting her eyebrows imploringly, urging him to continue.

Something in his friends' stupid behavior helped put him at ease though, and Link sighed, wracking his brains for something to say.

"I know that… a lot of you are expecting some great speech from me." He said uncertainly, letting his eyes sweep the crowd briefly before jerking resolutely back to Zelda. In his one glance, however, he'd seen the faces of the crowd; the broken teenagers, the unimpressed parents, the reporters in the back with their flashing cameras…

"You're waiting here, now, for the same thing you've been waiting the past month for. Some of you want to hear me talk about what happened inside this school that day; you want to hear me tell you what went down between Ganondorf and me in the Principal's office at the end of the attack. But I have nothing to say to you. What happened that day is a tragedy; not something to parade around and celebrate."

There was an unexpected level of bite to his words and you could tell by the look of surprise on the audiences faces that they hadn't been expecting it. Link hadn't either, but he didn't really regret it. From the look of reproach and annoyance on a few of the reporters' faces, he'd accomplished his goal anyhow. From the moment he'd returned home from the hospital a week ago, he and Zelda and their families had been dogged by reporters. It was beyond annoying. Maybe now it would stop… but he wouldn't get his hopes up.

Zelda seemed a little taken aback as well, but she merely pursed her lips wryly and waited for him to continue.

"Others," Link said, turning his attention to all of the parents in the crowd, his eyes landing on the first one he recognized; Shad's mother, "are waiting for me to do or say something to ease your fears about sending your kids back to Ordon High when it opens up next week. But if I'm being honest, I don't have anything to say to you either, because really… what could I say? What could anyone say?

"Nothing, no amount of words or actions, could ever make what happened right again. And let's just be realistic: none of you really expected me to come up with an answer in the first place. You've all made up your minds already."

Link swallowed again before taking a deep, steadying breath through the nose as he hastened to formulate his next sentence.

"No… Today I'm not speaking to the reporters or the people across Hyrule who are listening in. I'm not talking to the parents or the teachers, or to the families of those whose lives were lost; there isn't anything I can add that hasn't already been said by the mayor, Chief Smith or Principal Oshus… No, today I decided that… I wanted to speak to… my fellow students."

Zelda looked surprised, and Link didn't blame her. As far as his friends and family knew, he hadn't planned on speaking about anything in particular; he'd merely said he was going to ramble off some vague sayings and get down as soon as he could. But something about being up there, seeing the memorial and the school and his classmates had caused something in him to stir, and he realized then and there that there was something that desperately needed to be said.

"Guys, look." He said bluntly, dropping all pretenses of polite, formal diction and reverting to his standard manner of speech, knowing that his classmates stood a greater chance of listening if he did. "Some of you know me from school and the rest of you know me from the news, but how many of you actually know me? Me, the person, Link Hero?"

There was a pause as the teenagers in the crowd shuffled awkwardly, giving him weird looks, unsure where Link was going.

"My point is, before the shooting, Ordon high was your typical high school. We have cliques and social ladders and all that garbage. When people don't conform, they get ostracized. It's a vicious circle that's present all over the world. And I'm proof. Today, pretty much everyone in the country knows my name; they've been talking about me on the news for weeks. But a month ago? I could count the number of friends I had on one hand… and one of them was my little sister."

He heard Sheik laugh and Aryll giggle, but the rest of the crowd was silent, still unclear where he was going with this.

"This was fine for me. The 'popular' people wanted nothing to do with me, and I wanted nothing to do with them. But the same can't be said for a lot of others in our classes who were overlooked or judged based upon what they looked like or how they dressed or who their parents was. Some of them weren't lucky, like me. They didn't have that small handful of friends to count on, or a supportive family back home. They were alone, and depressed, and pushed around and ridiculed by their so-called peers. And do you know what happened to them?"

The audience was deathly quiet, though he could see a blank look on some of the student's faces. A number of cheerleaders and jocks had stopped listening entirely, writing him off just like they had in class.

"Ganondorf got to them." He said darkly, his voice grating. "He gathered them together under his wing, and it was easy. He made them feel like they had finally attained what you'd been denying them for years; friends. And then he took their feelings of hurt and mistrust and he turned them into hatred and rage, manipulated their pain, and used them as his disposable soldiers to attack us. And we have no one to blame but ourselves."

A number of people in the crowd began muttering angrily, but Link didn't care; at least now he knew he had their attention. Instead of backing down to deter their anger, he raised his voice to be heard over them, forgetting for a moment that he had a microphone to do that anyway.

"I'm to blame as well!" He shouted over the crowd, and they quieted down a bit. "We all are! All of us! Because we did this, we allowed things to get this bad. Ganondorf was the catalyst, but we laid the foundation, we gave him the tools. But we've been given a chance now to make it better! Now, I'm not saying we have to be all lovey-dovey and friendship is magic or whatever, but guys… We can't let this happen again. I know I said earlier that nothing could be done to prevent this sort of thing, and it's true. I mean, sometimes bad things just happen. But forty-two innocent people are dead now because we couldn't get over our petty differences and we gave Ganondorf the perfect opportunity to strike us.

"We've been given a chance to start over again, and I really, really suggest we take it. There's talk of them shutting Ordon High down if not enough students come back, and then what? We'll all go off to other schools just as bad as we were, and the cycle will just start all over again. Ganondorf broke our walls down, so let's build them back up, the right way. Before the attack, I'dve said it wasn't possible, but now…"

He let his gaze sweep the crowd, focusing on the individual faces of his newfound friends.

"Now, after the attack, after having fought for, fought against, fought with, bled for, rescued, been rescued by, freed, cried, and nearly died for so many of you… You've become… well, important, I guess… I have pride in this school now, the kind I've never had before, because I know what we're actually made of, underneath all of our stupid schisms and drama.

"I know… that real friends do anything for each other." Midna and Sheik grinned at him proudly, Sheik nodding in assent, the shorter girl's head on her boyfriend's shoulder.

"That caring about someone means being willing to give up everything for them, even if it tears you apart." Colin dropped his head in embarrassment, his mother Uli smiling through her tears up at Link.

"That sometimes, heroes come from the most unexpected of places." Linebeck the janitor shuffled in his seat, looking awkward yet pleased. Next to him, Jolene, Coach Nabooru's old assistant, linked her arm with his and gazed up at the portly man in fervid admiration.

"That your enemies can become some of your greatest allies." Ralph's chest swelled like a bullfrog, his startling red hair still as perfectly coiffed as ever.

"That polar opposites can become the best of friends." Shad smirked, adjusting his glasses while Ashei, finally out of her wheelchair, placed her chin in her hands and leaned forward in her seat, grinning up at Link.

"That you shouldn't judge books by their covers." Darunia didn't react, because he clearly had no idea Link was talking about him and Ruto, but when their eyes met he nodded just the same, and Link flashed back briefly to the moment just before he'd saved the two most popular teens in school and how Darunia; ignorant, crass, self-centered Darunia, had been determined to take that bullet for his girlfriend.

"That when you love someone, you don't stop fighting for them, whatever the odds." Kafei, seated next to his mother on the left end of the front row, draped his arm around Anju's wheelchair bound shoulders, drawing her closer. The red-head sent Link a tremulous smile.

"And that sometimes… sometimes fate can mess with your life in the most unexpected of ways." Zelda returned his gaze levelly, and he knew she was thinking the same thing he was.

"I don't know what's going to happen after today. I don't know how this tragedy is going to affect us in the long run, but I do know that the people and the friends that we've lost will stick with us forever. Ganondorf sought to destroy us, but inadvertently I think he drove us closer together. Come Monday morning, I'll be walking into these doors at 8 A.M., and though I'll think no less of anyone who'd rather transfer… I hope to see all of my friends there with me."

Sighing, Link turned to step away from the podium, hoping to scurry back to his seat as quickly as possible. He wasn't sure where that entire monologue had come from or what had inspired him to say it; he wasn't a particularly deep or emotional kind of guy, but what he'd said had been true enough. He only hoped people would listen. But then, why would they? He may be popular now, but give it a few weeks and he'd be a nobody again… just the way he liked it, yes, but a nobody couldn't change anything…

He hadn't taken two steps when a sound from behind had him stopping in place.

Clapping. Someone was clapping. At a memorial service? Nobody had clapped for the other speakers; the overall atmosphere had been one of mourning and reverence, like a funeral, and nobody had wanted to break that. So why now?

Turning, Link glanced back over his shoulder into the crowd, searching out the offender. To his incredible shock, it was…

Darunia. The quarter-back.

He stood alone in a sea of strangers, his face stoic, his shoulders set, clapping for Link. In that moment, Link understood; he was declaring his support for Link's speech, declaring to the rest of the student body without really saying a word that he was on Link's side. After a moment, Kafei stood up and began clapping as well. Not the star athlete, but still one of the most popular and wealthy guys at school. He nodded to Link briefly and let his applause merge with Darunia's.

The change was sudden. First Darunia and Kafei, then Sheik, Midna, Aryll and Zelda, then the rest of Link's newfound friends all began standing, clapping for all they were worth. Before Link could react, others began to stand as well; Coach Nabooru, with a look a grudging respect; Professor Ezlo, for once without a look of animosity; Linebeck, shrugging as if to say 'eh, why not, kid?". The rest of the teachers followed suit, quickly joined by the remainder of the students, the parents, the police, and even the reporters. Link blinked in amazement, suddenly feeling very small; to think he had that sort of influence… He knew that actually uniting as a student body and putting an end to social classes and bullying and all that wouldn't be _nearly_ that easy, but it was a start. It was a start.

The ceremony ended not long after, and Link found himself shaking nearly everybody's hand. He tried to keep up a polite face for most people, particularly his friends and those he recognized from around town, but quickly found his patience waning. Thankfully, he was able to escape the bustling crowd that had gathered by the makeshift stage and stood off by the memorial, awaiting his friends and family.

It wasn't long until he felt a small body slam into him from behind, wrapping their arms around his midsection.

"Link! That was _so_ good!" Aryll squealed in traditional Aryll fashion.

"Uh, thanks." Link said, face reddening slightly as he scratched the back of his head. He was a little unsure how his friends and family would react to his impromptu feel-good seminar, but he knew in a few days he'd be the butt of several jokes from his sister and Sheik.

"Really, Link, I was impressed!" Midna said brightly, giving Link a playful shove on the shoulder. "Who knew you had it in you?"

"Yeah. Real great, Link." Sheik muttered, sounding surprisingly bitter, his hands shoved into his pockets petulantly.

"What's wrong with you?" Link asked, baffled.

"Nothin'..."

"He and Midna had a bet on whether or not you'd faint." Aryll said airily.

"Hey!"

"What're you upset about? You cost me five bucks!"

"Really, guys? You're gonna fight about this now?" Midna cut in, lifting a solitary eyebrow in carefully executed disdain. Link decided to ignore that she was just as guilty as her boyfriend.

The group stayed silent then, the four of them gazing up at the marble wall while the crowd behind them gradually began to disperse. Link found his eyes tracing the names, focusing on the ones he recognized (Salvatore, Byrne, etc.) and wishing he could say he'd known the others. After a few minutes he felt a small, cold hand slide into his, and he turned to find Zelda standing at his side, gazing up at him.

"You ok?" she asked softly, and Link shrugged.

"No. But I know I will be."

She nodded understandingly, then turned to examine the wall as well, drawing closer to Link and wrapping her free hand around her midsection.

"You cold?" he asked, realizing for the first time that the memorial was almost entirely in the shade of the building, and that without the bright rays of the April sun on them it didn't feel much like springtime.

"I'm fine," she tried to say, but Link had already removed his suit coat for the second time that morning, draping it over her shoulders. She frowned at him like she always did, then stuck her arms through the sleeves and drew it closer around her body like a blanket. Link laughed.

"You kids ready to go?" Granny asked, coming up from behind them.

"Yeah."

"Uh-huh."

"Lead the way, oh wise one."

Granny shot Sheik a brief scathing look. "Alright, well then hurry on up. These old bones aren't meant to be out in the cold for so long…"

Zelda moved to follow her along with the others, but Link held her back for a moment.

"What's up?"

"It's just that… well, thanks. I mean, for earlier, when I was screwing up my speech. You really helped me there. I couldn't have done it without you."

She beamed at him for a moment, and Link couldn't resist sliding his arm around her waist and drawing her in close enough for a brief peck on the lips.

"Mmm…" Zelda murmured, smiling at him coyly. "But then, you can't do anything without me anyway."

"Oookay," Link moaned, rolling his eyes sarcastically, and Zelda laughed.

"Hey lovebirds! Can you have your little moment later? I'm starving over here!"

"Alright, alright, we're coming!" Link called back to his best friend with a cheeky grin. Sheik harrumphed loudly.

Taking Zelda's hand, he left the shaded flower garden behind him and stepped into the bright spring sunshine, running off after his irate best friend, tugging his laughing girlfriend behind him. They really were going to be ok, he decided. One day.

* * *

The moon rested high in the crisp, cold spring air. Full, its milky beams the only true source of light from the lab's single window. All of the lights in the building were off, the doors locked, the employees long since returned to their homes.

All was calm and quiet in Ordon's city morgue, the tranquil peace befitting of the dead contained within who awaited their eternal rest.

As the soft ticking of a clock mounted high on a wall struck two in the morning, a sudden sound broke the still silence of the morgue. It emanated from within its cold metal confines, angrily rattling the drawers that surrounded it, creating a dense cacophony of metallic noise that shattered the peace and silence of death.

The sound came again a moment later, a harsh bang that echoed sharply throughout the building, and as it came a third time, the face of one of the large drawers dented outward with a tortured screech, and the surrounding drawers rattled all the harder.

There was a pause then, and as the rattling of the metal slowly died away silence once again overtook the building. With a click and a groan, the air conditioning unit shuttered to life and a soft buzzing sound filled the air.

Without warning, a final bang crashed against the drawer from within, and with a loud snap the locking mechanism that had held the drawer in place broke free, spinning wildly across the room, and the drawer slowly slid a few inches open.

First one, then five, then ten; small shapes began to appear from within the confines of the drawer. The ten solid, thick knuckled digits rested lightly on the metal before pushing lightly against the cold, chrome surface. With a soft whisper, the drawer slid slowly open.

In the pale beams of moonlight a dark figure was suddenly illuminated, resting supinely on the cold, metal drawer. The ghostly rays of light turned his hair blood red, and when his eyes slowly opened, they glowed golden with murderous intent.

Casting aside the thin white sheet that covered his naked body he moved to right himself and stand, but stopped with a pained gasp. Clutching his chest with agony he paused, squinting his eyes as sharp pain stabbed throughout his body. Gingerly, he moved his hand and examined the wound.

It was bleeding now. He was unsure how long he'd been out, but the wound looked as fresh as when he's first gotten it. Grimacing, he slid off of the drawer, ignorant of the icy cold floor tiles beneath his bare feet, and gathered up the sheet he'd discarded a moment earlier.

Cursing quietly to himself he applied pressure to the wound and began to think. He'd need time… time to heal, time to plan, before he could seek his revenge on the ones who had wronged him. But for now…

The figure turned away from the now silent room, the pale shafts of moonlight and the vacated drawer. Even without clothing, his footsteps were heavy and his presence dominating. A small smile crept its way onto his face.

Hero may have won this round… but the fight was far from over.

And with that single, glorious thought to sustain him, Ganondorf, the King of Thieves, left the cold, silent office and vanished into the dark of the night.

* * *

_Warning: __Epic length Author's Note. TL;DR version: I love you, review. But feel free to read on if you left me a review, because your response is here… somewhere… I also talk a bit about the sequel down at the end, so skip to there if you don't care about the rest. _

_Good Gracious… this is it, then, isn't it? This is… a really weird feeling for me… For so long, I thought I was never going to get this done, and now… it's over. My first full-length multi-chapter story… Wow… _

_So, whatcha think? Did it end ok? I know it got a bit preachy there at the end, and I hadn't planned on doing that, but you know… School shootings are serious business. I know that for awhile there, particularly towards the end, it turned from a 'School Shooting' story to a 'Modern Day Zelda' story, but the shooting elements were still there, and I didn't want to gloss over that. It'd be disrespectful, I think. _

_So yeah. Let's see… those flowers I mentioned? They do actually have appropriate meanings, so if you're flower-savvy (as I am not; huzzah for Google!), you may have picked up on that. I wish I could draw, so I could show you how I imagine the memorial, because I'm not sure if I described it well enough, but sadly enough I cannot… though if one of you lovely readers wants to take a crack at it, I'll gladly post the link on here and give you mad credit. _

_One last thing: The body count. I realize, looking back, it didn't seem like nearly that many people died. Maybe if you factored in the shooters, but as I specifically mentioned that they weren't included… In my head, even from the beginning, that was the ballpark estimate for the casualties, and I realize now that I glossed over a lot of that in the actual story for fear of making it too dark and depressing. Suffice to say, Link and his friends didn't see a lot of it… because they didn't just leave their bodies lying around. As Link discovered in the office when he found the Principal, they stacked them where they wouldn't get in the way; I.e. closets, vacant classrooms, bathrooms, etc. Heartless and rather disconcerting, but efficient. _

_Did any of you recognize your suggestions being implemented in either part of the Epilogue? I already mentioned most of you specifically in part one, so here are those whose suggestions had a direct influence on part 2: __**Kamil the Awesome**__, whose name is an accurate portrayal of their personality; all credit for the final scene with G-money waking up in the morgue goes to Kamil. You completely changed the ending of this story for the better. Thank you so much for being awesome… literally. __**Athletic Nerd**__ and__** Ricorum Scaevola **__also deserve mention, and finally, __**Eternal Nocturne**__, whose request for a pineapple had me chortling all day. Psych, man… did anyone else spot the pineapple? _

_Now, for the review replies, which I promised forever ago… I bet most of you don't even remember reviewing, but a promise is a promise. Here, I'll respond to those who reviewed to part 1 of the Epilogue as well when I'm done with Ch. 17, just to keep stuff fun. _

_R h i a n d u r: __Haha, I'm glad you liked it! Yeah, that was about my response too… which is odd, considering I'm the one who wrote it… but yeah. I'm pretty proud of the climax, I think. I think my writing's come a long way. _

_My Dearest Sally Sparrow:__ Well… crap. I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you cry! Shoot, now I feel awful… Well… Um… Can I just say, you have the coolest user name I've ever seen? Like, I thought mine was pretty good, but yours… no contest. I really hope you read this, cause I think this is the only review I've gotten from you and I want you to see that I took your suggestion to heart in Part 1 of my epilogue… Thanks again for the review, Kat. If I can call you that, haha. _

_Shadow Mario 3:__ Dude, can I just say you're awesome? You've been one of my long-time reviewers… or maybe it just feels like a long time cause I take forever to update, but still. You're amazing. Thank you so much for sticking with me. Yeah, I actually had never played the ending to MW2 at the time that I wrote this, and had no idea what you were talking about until about two weeks ago when I played it for my grandfather, and I was like 'dude… that was friggin sweet!' haha. You're right, though; lots of bad guys to bring into the sequel, especially now with SS out. Be on the lookout! _

_Spaz-attack101: __What up, Spaz? Yet another one of my favorite reviewers... hahaha, yeah that stapler thing was one of my crowing moments, I think. In a rather morbid way. Honestly, I hadn't planned on that at all when I'd written Link dropping it there in an earlier chapter, it just sorta... happened. But I'm glad you liked it! It was a lot of fun to write! And sorry about the cliffhanger... (it literally was a cliffhanger, too... go figure) I hope the resolution was up to par. Thanks for stickin with me, Spazy. Keep it Zesty. __Tropaz _

_Tsubasa: __You have no idea how much reading your review makes me grin, even now. Thanks a lot, man. (If you're a man... you can never really tell on here...) I'm glad you thought it was epic; that's what I was hoping for, haha. _

_Airian Reesu: __Well, you've redeemed yourself by reviewing here! Haha, I totally thought you were going to say something like 'you're story was great… but this last chapter sucked!' and I kinda had a 'Darth Vader Nooooo!' moment 'til I read the whole thing. Thanks for your support, Airian. I hope to catch you in the sequel. _

_mindpearl:__ hahaha. On a Tuesday morning, eh? Does it not hold up in the evening, then? Or on any other day? Hahaha. Thanks for the review, mindpearl. And for making me laugh. _

_misszelda3290:__ Thanks a lot! Yeah, I'm pretty sad too… this has been in my life for awhile now, always just sorta there in the back of my mind, and now… well, on to new things, I guess. I learned a lot writing it, and I hope I'll write a lot more in the future. And I hope you review those too! Haha, see ya around. _

_Soosthemoos:__ Meh, you don't need to log in… especially with such a boss screen name. Haha, thanks, man! Yeah, writing that montage fight scene was pretty fun. Though… foreign characters? Ralph isn't a foreign character, he's from Oracle of Ages… I dunno, maybe I don't get what you meant by that. Anyway, I'm a little blown away that you liked my story that much. Thanks for the praise, and here's hopin' I catch you in the sequel. _

_MegamanSora:__ Well great. Thanks to you, I now want a Kingdom Hearts game set in Megaman's universe. This is all your fault. Lab coats and needles? It's a hard-knock life, bud. You'd better not let too many people know you talk to Link and Midna in your head though… the straight jacket may just come back to haunt you. Not that I'm judging; I don't wanna incur your wrath and receive death by poking. That seems unpleasant. Hahaha. _

_Flutekitty:__ I'm assuming the 'not logged in' bit isn't part of your screen name… hahaha. Thanks for the review! Nah, I didn't really see a relationship forming between those two… I mean, I felt like I was pairing up too many characters as it was, and they'd only just become friends… plus, in my head she's taller than him, and that's just a deal breaker for Ashei. Hahaha. _

_monochromXdreams:__ Sorry, but no. Zelly hasn't learned to use her powers yet. Link has other ladies lookin out for him. But at least I didn't kill him, right? Haha. _

_Amythist269:__ Yet another of my favorite reviewers. Haha, sorry for makin you think he was dead. Like I'd kill him off before he got a chance to mack on his hottie… for shame. Yeah, the 'my son' but was a bit of a mislead; I meant it as Farore seeing herself as the Mother of all living things. Plus she has this affiliation with Link… yeah. It makes sense in my head. _

_Leina 16:__ Leina! I feel like you're a repeat reviewer too, but I'm too lazy to dig through all my reviews to double check… meh, whatever. I'll treat you special anyway. Hahaha. I'm glad you're on board with Link and Zelda's relationship. I was worried I was rushing it too much a bit there, especially toward the end, so they'll probably be a little awkward around each other for a bit. I might showcase that a tad in the sequel. I dunno. See ya later, Leina! _

_Laughers Song:__ I'm psychic! So are you! We're on the same wavelength! Now the real question is… did you see this update coming? Haha. I like your screen name as well, though my inner grammar Nazi is screaming at the lack of apostrophe… Thanks for reviewing, Laughers. _

_Eternal Nocturne:__ Is it bad that I read that 'NOOO' in Darth Vader's voice? Hahaha, I'm glad you liked them, though the Twilight and Wind Waker ones were easy. It was the first two that were harder to distinguish because… well, the NES and Super NES aren't nearly as high quality, and the fights are practically the same. And I hadn't even realized that I'd made that parallel with the stapler! Hahaha, that's awesome! Useless items for the win! You're my hero for asking for a pineapple, by the way. Wish granted. I couldn't stop laughing when I got your request. Thanks for sticking with me, Eternal. See you in the sequel. _

_CrimsonEyes27:__ Holy cow, that review made my day. I dunno about any awesome emoticons… but I can make a Kirby. See? ('.')#. And look, he has a waffle! Adorable… Anyway, haha, I'm glad you liked it! I really hope you like the epilogue, too. Nothing's worse than a crappy epilogue… But at least Sheik isn't in jail, right? Right. I'm good to you. Haha, catch ya later, Crimson. _

_Neha__: Hahaha. An interesting idea, but I wanted Zelda's magical progression to be more realistic, so no real magic fun til the sequel. And nah, the Goddesses grant wishes when the Triforce is completed. Killing G-money is just… something they expect them to do, I guess. Like Link's some sort of exterminator. What punks. He should go on strike. _

_hkdfan:__ I totally read your screen name as 'HDK', because that was my old nickname that I hated at an old job of mine. (Stood for' Scotty Doesn't Know', cause… well, my name's Scott and my coworkers were unoriginal). Anyway, hahaha, thanks for the review! Here's hoping I see you in the sequel. _

_SailorZeldatheLightAlchemist:__ Nope! The Master Sword is still safely in its pedestal… though you'd be surprised how few people brought that up to me. You'd think they'd have noticed a major plothole like that… especially one that has such a large influence in the sequel… (shh! Spoilers!) Oh gosh… I did not… I hate it when I do that. Especially since my spell check won't catch that garbage, cause technically 'heard' is spelled correctly… Thanks for telling me. And yeah, I totally came up with that on the spot. You liked it? Oh good, haha, I was worried the readers would find it too corny. And I'm totally cool with you borrowing anything you want from my stories… as long as it's not like a direct plagiarism or anything, haha. It's actually kinda flattering. Anyway, I hope the ending was good; your opinion in particular is important to me, given your history. I didn't bungle it too much, did I? I wanted to take this topic seriously, after all, but not too much so that it scared or bored my readers away… eh. Thanks again, Sailor. Oh, I think I saw your story, too! I need to go read that… anyway, keep it zesty. _

_Lady Fai:__ haha, well staple fighting is a world renowned martial art, I'll have you know… Hmm, that's a good question… I never thought about it because Darunia wasn't all that important to the story… maybe I'll mention that in the sequel. Thanks for bringing that up. _

_TwilightWakerofTime:__ Well… you're the 100__th__ reviewer in my heart… *que sparkles. But of course he uses duct tape; greatest invention of all time. Even great evil respects that. Oh you, picking up on his survival because of my careless author's note… hahaha. Smarty pants. Though honestly, I'm surprised more people didn't pick up on that. Huh. _

_Requiem's Bow:__ If only, if only… sadly, I can't even help with my own writer's block. Though I've found, when I'm struggling, that going on and writing something else, even something completely off-topic, can help clear your mind. Also, showers. But then… showering is my answer to everything. It's like a warm massage on your back… ahem, uh… yeah. Thanks for reviewing. I'll catch you later. _

_whosahassa:__ YES! Somebody picked up on it! Don't worry; I'm fully aware of the Master Sword thing, as you probably picked up by Auru's statement here in the epilogue. And the whole 'Ganondorf not being dead' bit, of course. _

_ninjafaceify: __Questions for the ages, my friend. The coat, as it's never again seen, was burned in effigy by Kafei three days after the incident. He did so late at night, alone, in his backyard while waiting for Anju to wake up. _

_:__ Thanks for reviewing! Nothing more can be said except for: He's not dead! Huzzah! Hahaha. _

_surfergirl3537:__ Oh girl, that doesn't need to happen in the sequel; that happened now! But don't worry; there'll be plenty of action and romance and all that fun stuff in the sequel. Keep a lookout! _

_GirlWithTheBlueEyes:__ Quick question: Are you eyes really blue? I only ask cause… it'd be pretty funny if they weren't. Anyway, thanks for saying that! It's really nice of you to say. Thanks for reviewing! _

_SgtPeppersLHCB:__ Uh oh… I hope that's cause you were sad over Link's supposed death and not because it disappointed you… _

_Iluffedchu:__ Crap! Not another person brought to tears! I'm sorry! Why must it be this way?_

_Darkwolflink1:__ Meh, don't worry. Link falls from crazy heights all the time. It's all in a days work for him. _

_Magicians Hat:__ hahaha, Kleenex… classic. Hmm… I'll take that into consideration. Thanks for giving me your opinion. I think I'm pretty sure I'm doing a sequel now, but I'll take extra precautions to make it a phenomenal story on it's own. _

_Agent Mississippi:__ Hahaha. The suspense is finally over! Let me know what you thought!_

_T3rran:__ It's true, and for awhile there I almost did let him die. But as this is Link, I am also a fan of happy endings, and I didn't want all the negative backlash… I let him live. Hahaha. _

_Jazzmatazz2000:__ But of course! How could I not add two of the main characters, and Link's best friends at that, in the epilogue? They're important peeps, after all. _

_Hiddenigma:__ ugh. I hate it when I'm forced to wait to do things. Patience isn't my strongest virtue. Which makes me a real jerk for making you all wait so long… hahaha. I hope you enjoyed the epilogue!_

_Ricorum Scaevola:__ Actually, no. It was laziness on my part for not wanted to spell his whole name out the entire time; in my head, Ganon was to Ganondorf as Matt is to Matthew… at least in terms of this story. Though I see now I totally could have done something with that… hmm. Well, I fulfilled your request! The others didn't have as poetic deaths as Zant did. I mean, I could have blown Sakon up MM style, but I chose not to. His death did involve Kafei though. _

_moksori: __Reviews like yours are by far my favorite. I'm… actually a little embarrassed that I've been misusing 'bear' the entire time, but that's just a problem I have. Still, it's not quite as embarrassing as the fact that I've been misspelling Colin's name throughout my entire story as another reader pointed out to me… geez. I really do need to find someone else to read these over, because it just gets to a point where my eyes start to glaze over and I'm sick of looking at them. Thanks for giving my story a chance, and I'm glad it wasn't a disappointment. I hope to see you in the sequel. _

_ZombieKillerLevi:__ Art Theives? Hmm… Not quite, but there will be theft… or accusations of theft… and actually yes, the happy mask salesman IS the curator! Hahaha. I guess that wasn't that hard to see coming, but kudos anyway. I hope you like it when it's ready to be posted. _

_Athletic nerd:__ Of course I can't have a sequel without Link and Ganondorf; which is why they're alive. Hahahaha. I hope you liked my scenes with the minor characters; I actually wasn't gonna mention Aryll's friends til you brought it up. Thanks! _

_Saria88: __That's not horrible. I actually understand that perfectly; sometimes, sad endings are more powerful than happy ones. Still, Link's adventure in my world isn't quite over yet, so I couldn't kill him off. I hope you liked the ending anyway. _

_Kamil the Awesome:__ Ah, Kamil… to whom I owe the ending of my story. Seriously, I can't even remember right now what I was going to do with Ganondorf… whatever it was, it was lame and would have come across horribly. Your idea of him waking up in the morgue though… that just struck me in just the right way. Thanks for being an awesome reviewer. _

_zelinkalwys4ever:__ Haha, a 'squeal'? I think I can make that happen… actually, I think Ruto does squeal in this chapter… that squeal can be for you! We'll call it 'zelink's squeal'. hahaha. Thanks for taking the time to read my story. I'm glad you liked it. _

_Chaosgamer19: __Really? Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it!_

_juju: __And the wait is over! But seriously, sorry that took so long. Being tardy is a way of life. _

_(…random no name person):__ …no! hahaha. _

_BOEDADDY:__ Wow… that's one of the nicest things anyone's ever said to me. Thanks! _

_angel2882: __Angel… you're an angel. Literally. Talk about reviews that blow me away… Seriously, the highlight review of the chapter; possibly the story. It's people like you that make writers want to continue writing. Thank you so much for you words. You're absolutely right about Ganondorf; one of my regrets (of which I have many) is not incorporating him enough in the early chapters. Colin was also a sore point with me because I knew it was something I hadn't written to the best of my ability. I hope I was able to clear the air a bit here in the epilogue; Aryll hasn't quite forgiven him yet, but she's not angry anymore either. She's just being bitter. Her and Colin with have a side-plot in the sequel that resolves a lot of the tension found here in Hit List. Again, thank you so much for taking time out of your day to read and review my story. I hope to hear from you again. Keep it Zesty. _

_Random Asian Guy:__ …who isn't even a guy. Deceptions within deceptions… haha. Thanks for reviewing! _

_Shade:__ Yeah, sorry that took so long… I hope it doesn't disappoint. _

_Dang it I lost the game D:__ …curse you and your screen name… Ah well. I guess it's more than I deserve for making you wait so long, huh? _

_Hero of Time009:__ Hey, thanks a lot! That really made my day! _

_Sheikagal:__ Yeah, the things we writers make our characters go through… monsters, we are. _

_Heidihammond14: __And yet it took me til January to even get up part one… I'm such a scumbag. Can you ever forgive me? And it only took you two hours to read the whole story? Dang, girl. Speed reading can be dangerous. _

_The-Sun-Princess:__ Bahahahaha! Oh man… yeah, it kinda was. I dunno if I described it very well; It's large-ish, mostly rectangular with one semi-circular part just behind the desk that protrudes outward, this being the wall with the windows. If that made any sense. I'm glad you liked my story; bringing in random characters from various games became almost a game for me. It made writing fun. Anyway, I hope you liked the ending! _

_Tex:__ Yup, that's a nicer way to describe them than I would've chosen. But then again, I was… young… when I wrote them. I have a lot more experience writing now than I had back then. My main concern is that people will read those first and may decide to not keep reading til it gets good… well. Thanks for pushing through. Nice shootin', Tex. See ya around. _

_herdsker: __I'm a bit of a scumbag… but at least you didn't have to wait years, like some of the readers did. _

_Dequax:__ Your third read through? No way! That's awesome! And here I am, not posting the epilogue til now… my bust, man. I sincerely hope it's worth the wait. _

_The Supreme:__ Well… He's not dead! Does that mean no plagues then, cause me and locusts… we don't really get along. _

_Wow… that was a freakin' butt load of reviews. Geez… how had I not realized how many there were? Well… here are the responses to reviews for the first part of the Epilogue; don't worry, there aren't as many. _

_StraightedgeWingZero:__ I imagine Sheik and Midna are expressing similar sentiments. _

_Mugen Kagemaru:__ That's how I am, too, but I know I would've gotten complaints about the length, so I figured I'd go ahead and do it. You know… I actually haven't thought of that… Huh. Maybe I should post that as a question in the epilogue? Yeah. I'll do that. Anyway, just subscribe to me as an author (or whatever that action is called) and it'll notify you whenever I post a story. That way, you won't miss it. _

_ZombieKillerLevi:__ Awe, thanks man. That was really cool of you to say. I hope the epilogue was up to snuff, and I'll catch you in the sequel. Keep it Zesty. _

_Agent Mississippi:__ Hahaha. That's more than fair. I mean, I took long enough to update as it was. At least I didn't pull a Robert Jordan and die before I could finish it… how sucky would that have been? _

_monochromeXdreams:__ Yeah, that was kinda my reaction too… Finally. They kissed. Geez. You gotta feel bad for Link sometimes. _

_Amethyst 269:__ And Wednesday came and went and I was nowhere to be found… Seriously, Amethyst, the amount of crap you put up with from me is amazing. I can't believe you've followed this story for so long. You amaze me. Thanks for being there. _

_SailorZeldatheLightAlchemist:__ Oh, I still am. I just have to rewrite most of it cause it got deleted. I actually have two, plus another Zelda one-shot that's not MM-related, my sequel to this, a Kingdom Hearts One-shot, and… a Pokemon thing I wrote on a whim and may not do anything with. I put off my one-shots til I finished this, and I'll devote a little bit of time to getting them done before I work on the sequel, so expect me to finish it… soonish. _

_Kamil the Awesome: __Hahaha! I expect that's what most people will have to do. And yeah… I freakin' hated that place… shudder… _

_Leina 16:__ haha, thanks! Don't worry, there'll be lots o' romance in the sequel. And lots of action. And lots more of multiple Zelda game references. It'll be a lot of fun. I'll see you there! _

_Random Asian Guy:__ Aw yeah, Link's a playa! Haha, but no, really, it's about time he got to kiss her. Fate was being a butt to him for awhile there. And by 'fate', I mean… me. _

_Eternal Nocturne:__ Yeah, I really liked writing the Farore bit. It was fun. And who doesn't love a good hospital seen? It's like a drama/humor/feel-good catalyst. Good stuff. _

_Athletic Nerd:__ Dude, what are you talking about? Never, ever, feel the need to apologize for a review; particularly lengthy ones, especially when you're trying to help the author out. That's what reviews are for, and those are the kind we want the most. You're one of my favorite reviewers for a reason. Thanks for stickin with me so far. _

_Intelligently Retro:__ Well, it was soon… ish… I guess… If you look at it like 'a month is sooner than a year'… right? Right. Hahaha_

_The Supreme:__ Haha, no foolin'? Well I'm glad I could be of some inspiration! I'm always glad to help my readers. Keep it Zesty, bud. _

_Sheikagal:__ Sorry that took so long, Sheikagal. But I hope it's good enough that it makes up for it. _

_Magicians Hat:__ Uh oh… you're probably gonna kill me for getting all sappy and feel-good at the end. But it had to be done, man. School shootings are serious business, and I was taking it kinda lightly there. I needed to be serious about it, at least at the end. Don't be too mad. Anyway, I'm glad you liked the Zelda waking up bit. I thought it was pretty funny myself. _

_Whoa… holy crap, that was a freaking ridiculous amount of reviews… I love you all, even if my fingers don't at the moment… _

_And… well, here we are… I suppose. The end of Hit List. It's been a wild ride, ladies and gents. My first multi-chapter story went off with a far bigger bang than I had ever anticipated. I honestly, at the time I started writing this (which was waaaaay back in like '07, by the way), only hoped to get maybe 100 reviews, if I was lucky… and look at me now. Nearly at 300 at the time I'm posting this. That's quite a lot. You guys are amazing, better readers and reviewers than I could have ever hoped for. Thanks for making this happen. _

_I suppose, for old times sake, I'll ask you to review now; not to shoot for any particular number, but to ask what your thoughts were. Not just of the epilogue, but of the story as a whole. My skills as an author have improved drastically throughout the course of Hit List, but they still need refinement, which is something you all can help with. So let me know your thoughts, what I did well, what I need to work on, predictions for the sequel-_

_Oh shoot! Sequel! Yeah, totally going ahead with that. I've outlined nearly the entire thing; just working out the ending because I don't like how I have it set up, but production on chapter 1 ought to start relatively soon- I just want to finish all those one-shots that I've been ignoring in favor of this story first. The only real question now is… what do I call it? How about you give me some suggestions. I'll go ahead and tell you now, in case you missed it earlier, the plot:_

_It's Link and co. taking a school fieldtrip to Castletown, Hyrule's capital. As the centennial anniversary of the Hero of Time celebration, the Museum of Natural History has put together a grandiose display of artifacts from Hyrule's history pertaining to the Hero. Set a year after the events of Hit List and introducing a slew of new characters, Link finds himself once again involved in a perilous situation; only this time, it's not the perils of modern-day society that threaten to make him history… it's history itself. _

_Right. So. A little vague; just know it involves plot elements borrowed from MM, TP and SS, with a bunch of fun things added from every other game. Also, magic and legends play a much bigger role in the sequel. I'll go ahead and say some new main characters will be Tatl, Groose, and Marin, as well as the Happy Mask Salesman, Skull kid, Dark Link, and… Ghirahim? Dun dun dunnn… _

_Anyway. Lemme know if you have any suggestions for titles, cause… I'm stuck there. And I'll see you all then. _

_Now, for the last time… in Hit List, at least… _

_Keep it Zesty. _

_ZC_


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